Rarelyalways x WORK

London multidisciplinary artist Rarelyalways releases his debut album WORK. The 14-track album includes the previously released singles "REVIEW," "URGENT," "LET'S," and "Voice note 0142" along with the focus track "WORK," which arrives  with a video directed and edited by MadeInEden, the visual architect of WORK. Rarely's full-length debut is full of dazzling, cavernous and mysterious sonics created by the self-described "shapeshifter." On WORK, Rarely actively blurs the lines of jazz, hip hop, and experimental rock to create his own unique and entrancing sound.

About WORK, Rarelyalways stated, “It brings delight knowing another project has been released, provisions granted marked me favored as certain opportunities came out of nowhere. Time will tell whether my mental fortitude went in vain. I told Wale, LP 'WORK' needs to be completed before I die.”

WORK follows Rarelyalways' collaborative Manic EP with Hanni El Khatib, featuring the stand out single "Lamenting" as well as his 2020 EP Baby Buffalo. His debut EP was described by The FADER as, “a concise exhibition of his minimalist swagger," with Pitchfork adding, "though Rarelyalways comes out of the London jazz scene, his music has its own distinct flavor."

Rarelyalways learned from a young age that music had functions beyond entertainment. Born in London to a West African family, he was raised by his single father, a drummer who played mainly gospel tunes during hours-long services and would bring Rarely along for afternoons in practice spaces where the young musician learned the power of playing for playing's sake. Rarelyalways went on to attend The BRIT School and eventually entered the South London gig circuit where he would play trip hop and heavy rock in the orbit of artists like King Krule, Henry Wu and the Tomorrow's Warriors jazz collective. With his music often taking on a dark, mysterious tone, Rarely is able to roam freely outside the prescribed structures of hip hop, jazz or anything else, by creating a conversational abstract style that can mold according to a song's message.

Listen to the full album at this link.

Be sure to check out the track by track feature of WORK up on DUMMY.