Razon-N-Tape welcomes Brooklyn-based band 79.5 to the family with the first single from their forthcoming eponymous LP: “Club Level”. Soulful and psychedelic, the haunting melodies of “Club Level” float above a steady strutting rhythm section, punctuated by moaning baritone saxophone and drenched in washy reverb. The 7″ single features a masterful b-side remix by NYC mainstay Eli Escobar that leans into 80s nostalgia, with a soundscape and arrangement nothing short of perfection.
79.5 was started in 2010 by singer-songwriter and composer Kate Mattison. Named after an imaginary radio station, 79.5’s sound may be hard to categorize, sounding like 70’s underground disco one minute, and sugary sweet girl pop the next. Sometimes an acid jazz freakout, oftentimes psychedelic and romantic, yet the impression left is always distinctively 79.5.
With only a self released 12″ in circulation, 79.5 was written up in The New Yorker twice based on the eminence of their live sets alone. In 2016, 79.5 released the now classic 45, “Terrorize My Heart (Disco Dub)” a staple in DJ sets, getting spins from Gilles Peterson, Q-Tip, Just Blaze and Natasha Diggs. In February 2021, Questlove added the Mattison-penned track to his 100 Essential Songs You Should Know playlist, which includes legendary musicians Sade, CHIC, Patrice Rushen, and Prince.
Fresh off a national tour opening for Durand Jones & The Indications, 79.5 continues to win new fans with every set they play. Current lineup includes Caito Sanchez (Charles Bradley) on drums, Andrew Raposo (Midnight Magic, Hess Is More) on bass, singer and rapper Lola Adanna and Izaak Mills on saxophone and flute.
