Light of Day Richard Spaven

• 1 Out of the Quiet 05:36
• 2 Distant Signal 04:03
• 3 Finders 03:49
• 4 Let Me Say it For You 04:06
• 5 Light of Day 04:05
• 6 Fine Line 05:27
• 7 Bunny Bread 04:35
• 8 Tilt 04:48
• 9 Magnolia 04:41
• Total Runtime 41:10

Info for Light of Day

"Light of Day" is the new album from Richard Spaven, one of the defining rhythmic voices of the past two decades, shaping the space where jazz, hip hop, club culture and drum and bass meet. His technical fluency and electronic sensibility place groove at the centre of his language, allowing him to control density, space and pulse with clarity. Across work with Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei, Petter Eldh and Alfa Mist, his playing remains recognisable – elastic, deliberate and grounded in feel.

Released on Edition Records, the album marks a new chapter with Spaven stepping forward as a bandleader and composer with a clear focus. The music is built from the inside out – groove shaping harmony, texture shaping form. Studio and live performances follow the same intent: direct, physical, locked into the pocket. The result is controlled intensity, where technique serves expression, and the music moves freely across genres without losing its centre of gravity.

One of the defining rhythmic voices of the past two decades, Richard Spaven's distinct rhythmic language – elastic, intentional, grounded in feel, has shaped the space where jazz, hip hop, drum & bass and club culture collide. Richard Spaven stands as one of the defining rhythmic voices of the past two decades, shaping the space where jazz, hip hop, club culture and drum and bass intersect. His technical fluency and electronic sensibility have helped redefine modern drumming, functioning as a tool of expression – enabling him to control density, space and pulse with precision. Across collaborations with Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei, Petter Eldh and Alfa Mist, Spaven’s touch remains distinct: elastic, deliberate and deeply rooted in groove.

Now entering a new chapter with his signing to Edition Records for Light of Day, Spaven steps further into focus as a bandleader and composer. In the studio and on stage – joined live by Stuart McCallum on guitar and Yves Fernandez on bass – the emphasis remains on feel and the pocket, with groove informing harmony and texture informing form. The result is a tightly unified sound built on interaction and restraint, where virtuosity is absorbed into feel and rhythm shapes the direction of the music.

"Thus on his solo debut for Edition, Spaven flexes his jazz muscles in a tastefully restrained way. A trio of top trumpeters illuminate several tracks. Copus, Pohjola and Molvær all make their sonically distinctive mark, from the spiralling looped chords of opener ‘Out of the Quiet’ to the album’s most assertive modal groove, ‘Let Me Say This For You’ – its Glasper-esque sequence pushed harder with some thrumming upright bass from Eldh and a striking solo from Pohjola. Pianist Rockberger provides lush, welcoming chords that open up the low end for bass and drums to fight it out. Elsewhere, regular collaborator Stuart McCallum blurs the stylistic boundaries with his sublime folk-jazz guitar on the title track, as Blevins’ flute adds a haunting Celtic feel on top. McCallum also brings bluesy flourishes to the anthemic closer ‘Magnolia’ with surging strings from John Metcalfe. Some may yearn for more orthodox structures and full-throated soloing, yet Spaven’s keen ear for the unconventional keeps his music moving forward." (Mike Flynn, Jazzwise)

Richard Spaven, drums
Oli Rockberger, piano
Petter Eldh, bass
Yves Fernandez, bass
Verneri Pohjola, trumpet
Nils Petter Molvær, trumpet
Stuart McCallum, guitar
Wildchild, vocals
Graeme Blevins, flute
James Copus, flugelhorn
Oli Savill, percussion
John Metcalfe, strings

Recorded by Richard Spaven, Oli Rockberger, Patrick Phillips, Graeme Blevins, John Metcalfe, Verneri Pohjola, Nils Petter Molvær, Stuart McCallum, Petter Eldh, James Copus, Jack Brown
Mixed by Patrick Phillips
Mastered by Shawn Hatfield at Audible Oddities

Richard Spaven
stands as one of the defining rhythmic voices of the past two decades, shaping the space where jazz, hip hop, club culture and drum and bass intersect. His technical fluency and electronic sensibility have helped redefine modern drumming, functioning as a tool of expression - enabling him to control density, space and pulse with precision. Across collaborations with Loyle Carner, Jordan Rakei, Petter Eldh and Alfa Mist, Spaven’s touch remains distinct: elastic, deliberate and deeply rooted in groove.

Now entering a new chapter with his signing to Edition Records for Light of Day, Spaven steps further into focus as a bandleader and composer. In the studio and on stage - joined live by Stuart McCallum on guitar and Yves Fernandez on bass - the emphasis remains on feel and the pocket, with groove informing harmony and texture informing form. The result is a tightly unified sound built on interaction and restraint, where virtuosity is absorbed into feel and rhythm shapes the direction of the music.

This album contains no booklet.