By Maxazine South Africa 
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are too many to listen to, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews today.
Photo (c) Jorge Fakhouri Filho
Jordan Rakei – Between us
With the EP “Between Us”, the New Zealand-born, London-based multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rakei delivers five tracks recorded during the final phase of his residency at Abbey Road Studios. One day, one guest, one track, no overthinking, that was the agreement. The result will be released on April 24, 2026, via Fontana and will play like a sampler for North Sea Jazz next year. “What It Gave Me” opens with Jalen Ngonda and his warm, retro soulful timbre. “Easy To Love” carries the groove of Tom McFarland from Jungle, dancefloor-oriented without losing the soul core. “It Never Ends” is the highlight: Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective propels the track with that typical forward-driving drumming sensibility that earned British jazz its Mercury Prize. “Problems” with FKJ is dreamy and cinematic, “Monsters” with saxophonist Nubya Garcia closes with a six-minute expansion that gives full space to the horn. The caveat is exactly what the EP is: five tracks, nineteen minutes, and you do not know which eight songs were left out. A higher rating does not fit an EP, but what is here is top quality and once again proves that Rakei is not only an exceptional singer and producer but above all a curator with an impeccable ear for what suits whom. (Jan Vranken) (8/10) (Fontana)
Jackson Dean – Magnolia Sage
Magnolia Sage is already the third album by the still relatively young Jackson Dean, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Maryland. With his dark, gritty voice, he steadily builds a reliable body of work in which themes such as relationships, longing and whisky are never far away. These are familiar ingredients within the genre, but Dean delivers them with enough conviction to hold attention. Although Magnolia Sage is firmly rooted in country, its subtle layering also leaves room for a broader audience. The production is polished and contains enough nuance to keep things interesting, without losing sight of accessibility. With a playing time of 37 minutes, spread over eleven tracks, the album is compact and easy to digest. It therefore listens easily, but that very brevity also contains a drawback. At times, the material would have benefited from more depth. Dean’s voice lends itself perfectly to strong storytelling, but that potential is not always fully utilised. As a result, some songs remain stuck in familiar patterns and themes without truly reaching a deeper layer. It sometimes feels like a palette of colours that are close together: pleasant, but not always distinctive enough. Nevertheless, Magnolia Sage is a solid and atmospheric album that shows Jackson Dean continues to develop. (Bart van de Sande) (7/10) (Big Machine Label Group, LLC)
Demonessa – Wild ‘N Loud
Demonessa is a new heavy metal band from Finland. They play classic heavy metal with a modern twist. The independently recorded album contains twelve tracks ranging from fast songs such as ‘High Voltage’ and the title track to semi-ballads like ‘I Stand Alone’ and ‘Queen Of Pain’, with fine guitar solos by John Creweholm and Hugo M. Raze. Singer Senja is solid, but not world-class. She strongly reminds me of Doro Pesch, although, especially in the ballads, she shows she can also handle higher registers. All in all, Demonessa is a band to keep an eye on. “Wild ‘N Loud” will be released on May 1, and for those who cannot wait that long, four tracks are already available to stream on Spotify. (Ad Keepers) (7/10) (Own production)
Benny Benassi — Feel the Bass
Ten years after “Danceaholic”, Italian electro-house pioneer Benny Benassi delivers his fifth studio album with “Feel the Bass” (Ultra Records): twelve tracks, thirty-six minutes, and not a second of doubt whether he still belongs on the dancefloor. Anyone who still feels “Satisfaction” from 2002 in their legs knows what Benassi can do: a mechanical, almost clinical bass that seems made more with a drill than a synthesiser. On “Feel the Bass” he returns to exactly that signature, aided by a guest list that bridges generations. Opener “Love Is Gonna Save Us” with ARTBAT is the broadest moment, while “Aku Aku” with Italian duo Axis Zero hits the hardest: short, dry, unforgiving. “Chicago Baby” with house veteran Felix Da Housecat is the smartest collaboration on the record, a nod to the city where it all began. The problem lies in the duration. Thirty-six minutes sounds tight, but several tracks stay under three minutes and end before they really go anywhere. Those looking for a full evening club experience will have to mix it themselves. (Jan Vranken) (7/10) (Ultra Records)
Steve Wilson – Enduring Sonance
Not to be confused with prog guru Steve Wilson. This Steve Wilson plays saxophone and does so less adventurously than Porcupine Tree. Despite his name appearing prominently on the album cover, Wilson operates in service of the ensemble with pianist Renee Rosnes, vibraphonist Joe Locke and drummer Kendrick Scott as the core. Big names, but no virtuosic showmanship. “Enduring Sonance” simply offers pleasant-sounding melodies. Wilson selected several pieces for the album that he reshaped into clear arrangements. Do not expect fireworks, but solid musical craftsmanship. Listen to ‘Helen’s Song’ by George Cables or ‘A Volta’ by Bill Lee. Pieces in which Wilson’s saxophone playing comes into its own and also blends into the whole. The closing ‘Francisco’ is dissonant in that respect. As on many tracks, Wilson replaces the vocal melody with his saxophone, in this case, the melody as recorded by Milton Nascimento in 1979. What does not stand out in vocals with words, but does without them, is that the melody is essentially quite flat. The choice of repertoire could have been better in that regard, especially for a closing track on an album that now ends rather meaninglessly. (Jeroen Mulder) (6/10) (Smoke Session Records)
