During the last few years, many young musicians have approached improvisation not only in the traditional method – as instrumentalists – but also as producers who create beats and use synthesizers to convey their voices. Flying Lotus, Thundercat, and several British acts such as Alfa Mist and Tom Misch are among the artists who have prominently and successfully fused hip-hop and soul production with the spirit of jazz. Speak Your Name (self-released, 2020), the debut by Canadian keyboardist and producer Todd Pentney under the stage name HiFiLo, adopts these techniques to produce a work that is innovative, purposeful, and well-made.

The album flirts with the concept of nostalgia as it travels and reminisces through music come and gone. It explores a wide breadth of classic 20th and 21st-century recordings. Kraftwerk, ‘60s pop, new wave, Brian Eno, and the unaccompanied piano performances of Keith Jarrett all find a home. This generates an immense range of soundscapes. Almost entirely recorded with piano, drum machines, and synthesizers, particularly older ones, it has a unique tone. Compared to other solo keyboard or ambient records, HiFiLo utilizes a historic and diverse combination of timbres and styles. Despite this, Speak Your Name remains coherent and unified, not merely reflecting upon the past but also looking forward.

Mellotron-esque patches and light, relaxed synth pads wash over the listener on “Pink Elephants” and the title track. Tasteful and minimalist rhythms keep the music moving. At times the sonic blend seems akin to Jon Hassell; sounds shift in and out as needed, painting a fuzzy portrait of a world in flux around the listener, invigorating them and relaxing them in equal measure. This resemblance to Hassell is readily evident where his production interacts with flautist Rob Christian on “Wanderlust” as harmonized and delayed flutes sit across a tasty pop drum groove. It is one of the best songs on the record. 

Similarly, on “Rebirth” and “Emanation”, sampled vocals, pads, percussion, and distorted analog synths blend together in a wonderful sonic mix, no one part distracting from the whole. The album embraces atmosphere, volume, and silence. The compositions are rarely cluttered with too much activity, and the simplicity fits them well. The music is also funky, absorbing elements of ‘80s pop, new wave, and R&B. This is particularly apparent in the drum programming, which contrasts intriguingly with the album’s other influences. Each element of any given piece sits in the pocket; despite the chill tone of the record, it rarely loses its excitement. “FTL” embraces funkiness with bright chords complementing danceable, syncopated drums and a synthesizer solo which would not be out of place for the Robert Glasper Experiment. However, HiFiLo is seldom upbeat. Other than “FTL”, : most songs take on a darker tone. One hopes this will be adjusted on future releases, as a lighter sound certainly deserves to appear more frequently.

Speak Your Name showcases a sophisticated and novel sound that has a great capacity to engage listeners. Simultaneously a meditation on the past and a statement about the future, it is a strong introduction to an artist with great potential for creating music that is new, creative, and, above all, meaningful.

Speak Your Name will be released on June 12, 2020. More information can be found on HiFiLo’s website.

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Tracklist: 1. Pink Elephants; 2. Wanderlust; 3. Speak Your Name; 4. Downpour; 5. The Collective Perspective; 6. Rebirth; 7. Emanation; 8. FTL; 9. Gradients; 10. Tangerines

Personnel: HiFiLo (keyboards, synthesizers, production), Rob Christian (flutes (2)), Alex Samaras (voice/lyrics (3)), Robb Cappelletto (guitar (4)).