Toronto's Jahmal Padmore Announces Debut Album 'Esparonto'

Listen to the record's lead single "Pretty"

BY James MartensPublished Mar 29, 2022

Toronto-based musician Jahmal Padmore — who has worked with artists such as MSTRKRFT and the Carps — has announced his debut solo album, Esparonto, out May 27 via Telephone Explosion.

The album was recorded at Telephone Explosion's Studio Z and began with lengthy jam sessions with guitarist Benja and OBGMs drummer-keyboardist Colanthony Humphries. Those sessions were pared down to the most interesting ideas, which formed the basis for the beats found on the album.

According to a press release, the album — which finds the artist blending R&B, jazz, ambient, house, hip-hop and pop — draws its title from the constructed language of Polish ophthalmologist L.L. Zamenhof. Read more about that here.

In addition to today's announcement, Padmore has shared lead single "Pretty," a collaboration with Young Clancy.

"It explores the ideas of self-projection and how much one can believe their own hype," Padmore said of the track in a statement.

He continued: "What does it mean to believe in yourself as someone with value? What is it to judge others by their aesthetic or financial even moral value? A tongue-in-cheek exploration into the idea of true identity. And a lot of fun at the same time."

Listen to "Pretty" below, where you can also find the album's tracklisting.


Esparonto:

1. Sorted
2. Ride
3. Sunday in the Living Room (feat. Benja)
4. Pretty
5. On Without
6. Operator (feat. Mathew Progress)
7. Your Joy
8. Cut the Rope
9. Instigation (feat. Keita Juma)
10. So Cold

Latest Coverage