kaidi tatham: in search of hope
Francisco Espregueira
Released in 2008, Kaidi Tatham’s second album is considered a kind of holy grail record for dance music fans and jazz heads. In Search Of Hope was Tatham’s statement at that time. A sign of what was to come from him as an artist: uncompromisingly and unapologetically sophisticated modern black music, crossing musical boundaries of electronic and dance music in a way that is still rarely heard today. Originally coming out via Tokyo-based label Freedom School, In Search Of Hope ended up reaching a mythical status in underground circles - to that contributing the fact that it was unavailable digitally, with physical copies fetching astronomical prices online.
In Search Of Hope has had an immeasurable influence on countless musicians, producers and artists that heard it, and Tatham’s work both before and after the LP’s release has blown the minds of listeners from a wide variety of backgrounds. His virtuosity never got in the way of coherent grooves, melodies, harmonies and arrangements. In fact, the majority of the album’s 11 tracks aren’t in the standard 4/4 time signature that most contemporary dance music follows, with some switching between a handful of different time signatures over the course of a few minutes. Now available digitally via First Word Records, is time to go back 12 years and celebrate In Search Of Hope as one of the most important contemporary records.
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From his earlier work with pioneering London production outfits like Bugz In The Attic, DKD, Silhouette Brown, Blakai, Likwid Biskit, Neon Phusion and Agent K, to his recent releases and collaborations with Dego and the extended 2000black family, Kaidi Tatham is one of the most quietly influential British artists of his time.