On her 2011 release ‘Cotton Skies’, jazz vocalist Emily Saunders applied her talents to something fairly traditional. On that album’s selection of (mostly) extended arrangements, she sang beautifully over smooth piano, evoking a smoky late night bar, or allowed her strong vocals to soar over some very melodic, more rhythmic fare, coming across like the missing link between Stacey Kent and Gretchen Parlato. 2016’s ‘Outsiders Insiders’ very much followed suit, cementing Emily’s talent and suggesting she’d be worth keeping an eye on, despite only releasing new material on a sporadic basis.

Her 2025 release ‘Moon Shifts Tides’ showcases a familiar voice at times, but on a musical level, has almost nothing in common with Emily’s previous work. A bold slice of fusion, the bulk of its tracks are as likely to unnerve as entertain. This might actually be a good thing, since it shows Saunders to be even more broadly talented, and certainly unafraid to push a few musical boundaries.

One of the album’s unexpected highlights, ‘Blue Skies Forever’ is a really busy affair. It doesn’t boast a chorus as such, just a wordless vocal cry set above a tight rhythm and soaring sounds. Emily uses this as an immediate attention grabber, creating a slightly jarring intro, then drops it between the track’s verses. It’s on those quieter verses that the track comes into its own, however, when the presence of a familiar hushed voice soars over a fantastic acid jazz inflected groove. Some great interplay between the drums and vocal takes centre stage, and an equally smart, sharp bassline accentuates the melody’s genuine quirkiness. On repeated listens, the track’s slightly chaotic wordless hook doesn’t sound quite as odd, but in terms of jazz fusion, it definitely has a goal to challenge the listener, and it definitely creates a striking first impression for this album overall.

‘All As One’ drops into a world that’s even more deeply rooted in an acid jazz aesthetic, and the marriage of Fender Rhodes and very strong vocal creates a slab of jazz with great soul inflected undertones. The band set up a solid groove which, despite being offset by a couple of interesting jazz fills, holds firm throughout. Emily, meanwhile, transitions between verses where her smooth tones are occasionally effected – possibly even affected – by various filters. This would make a great track alone, but things take a much quirkier stance on a wordless chorus, where Saunders throws out various vocal melodies in lieu of a muted trumpet. This approach could be considered a little too much like style over substance by some, but it’s actually something that works, and what’s more, suits the performer’s range brilliantly. A gentler tone informing ‘Time Ticks’ brings this work a little closer to those earlier albums by taking in more of a late night, easy vibe. Ensuring everything still plays differently, though, and in keeping with the bulk of this release, the use of vocal filters gives the main melody and otherworldly quality, whilst parts of the arrangement work a spacious arrangement around a slightly distorted bass. At its heart, there’s an old school jazz tune trying to escape, but between Saunders working another wordless hook and a strange atmosphere that sounds like a spaced-out Morcheeba, it sounds pleasingly contemporary at the time of release.

Taking another very sharp musical turn, the intro of ‘Turning Tides’ blends some jazz elements into the polyrhymic funk of King Crimson circa 1981, before Saunders adds a floaty vocal that sounds more like it’s attuned to Latin jazz. As with the bulk of this release, this crossover style is a little disarming at first, but given time to attune, results in something great. The rhythm section put in some hard yards throughout, but the standout moments are delivered by a bold trumpet break and a very retro keyboard solo that sounds as if it’s been pulled straight from Spyro Gyra’s 1978 debut. As things progress, with the musicians working a great groove, punctuated by stops, Saunders allows her voice to move very naturally, leading to a performance that’s another of this record’s most enjoyable tracks. ‘Mashup’, meanwhile, opts for something more aggressive; a blend of ugly 70s keys, strange time signatures and a mood that owes more to Zappa/The Mothers circa 1975. Or at least that might be the case had things not taken a more “traditional” jazz fusion turn midway with the help of some great brass work and Emily dropping in with a barrage of oohs and ahs. There are elements here that might’ve sounded like a band trying too hard to be a little different, but heard as part of a record that’s unafraid to challenge, this fits rather nicely, and is definite confirmation that Saunders is an artist who clearly now follows her muse in a different way.

At the album’s most commercial – relatively speaking – ‘Floating’ presents a very atmospheric vocal over some very smooth sounds, initially sounding like a weird marriage between a Stevie Nicks ballad and the world of Julee Cruise. Allowing a moment for your ears to tune in, the number takes on a jazzier tone; the bassline dances beneath a dreamy adult pop sound, occasional guitar pierces through the hazy melody and a gentle drum pushes a slow rhythm forward. Naturally, it’s Saunders who steals the show here, and her almost dream pop worthy tones straddle a gulf between pop, jazz and ambient, creating something that gives this album a more accessible centrepiece, which will certainly be welcomed by some listeners.

On ‘Sideways’, the immediate use of scatting vocals throws the listener deeper into a world of jazz once again, and Emily’s subsequent curling lead further evokes the jazz sounds of the past. In contrast, the bright sounding music feels very contemporary: harder rhythms pull further in an acid jazz direction, even sounding like something Red Snapper might tease with in one of their softer moods; the flowing bass presents itself from a late night perspective, and the main hook almost has a pop-ish flair set against a busy drum part. In the centre, there’s Emily, effortlessly shifting between soft, melodic passages, wordless scats and almost theatrical sounds. As an exercise in vocal gymnastics, it’s certainly impressive. As with the bulk of ‘Moon Shifts Oceans’, this will either intrigue or unnerve, but those who “get” it will absolutely love it.

In the main, ‘Moon Shifts Oceans’ is a brilliantly inventive record. The dramatic shift from Emily’s earlier recordings means it’s more likely to be fully appreciated by those approaching the artist’s work as an unfamiliar listener, but that isn’t a bad thing. With tight arrangements throughout, joined by some truly impressive vocals, this is the kind of release that shows how jazz remains relevant into the twenty first century, and shouldn’t be relegated to key moments and movements, such as the hard bop of Lee Morgan and Dexter Gordon in the 60s, or the brilliant fusion of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis in the 70s. It mightn’t be of immediate appeal, but this is definitely a recommended listen.

May/June 2025