Ahead of the release of his forthcoming compilation Rituals Volume 02 we’ve asked Somewhere Soul for an insight into a special record from his collection.

A DJ, writer, A&R and curator, much of Josh’s time revolves around digging for music both new and old. He shares these discoveries through Somewhere Soul via Instagram and YT, and has become a trusted source for musical recommendations for many.

"I was in Estonia for Tallinn music week and had just finished delivering a talk on what the music industry might look like once AI is generating music at scale. My take on this was very much in defense of human creation and curation. I suggested that the floodgates of AI music opening will lead to human-made music being more valuable and that AI music may just serve people in a similar way that the top 40 charts and algorithmic mood playlists serve people currently. 

But no matter how positive I am about the future, there’s always something about any conversation about AI music that depresses me. I was at We Out Here Festival recently and I saw a guy wearing a t-shirt that said ‘Do not talk to me about AI I will kill myself’. It’s certainly a sentiment that resonates with me.

If you’re wondering what the perfect tonic is to getting into the weeds about AI music, I can tell you with confidence that it’s an open air record fair. Just a few minutes chatting with an incredibly passionate and knowledgeable record dealer is enough to restore your faith in humanity.

I had already picked up some great records since I arrived in Tallinn but there was something about the clear blue sky, the bright sunshine and the weightless feeling I always enjoy after public speaking, that told me that this record fair was going to deliver the crown jewel of my Estonian haul. And I was right.

After about half an hour of getting accustomed to the layout of the fair and where I should be spending my time, I made myself at home in the crates of a dealer who had a beautiful selection of records from the US, Japan, Africa, Brazil and, most importantly, Estonia. I always like to bring home records native to the place I’m in because it’s like taking home a sonic postcard that will always transport you straight back to your travels.

It was the artwork of this Jaan Kuman record that first caught my eye and intrigued me enough to pull the record out the crate. The polka dot background, his blank expression, the objects on the table that to this day I’m still unsure of what they are. Upon reading the reverse of the record, I learned that he was widely regarded as the best jazz trumpeter in Estonia. I held up the record to the dealer and asked what he could tell me about it and straight off the bat with a big grin on his face he said “oh man, that’s a classic.” It’s incredibly exciting to be told that something is a classic when you’ve never heard of it. It’s the potential of not just a new favourite record but an entirely new rabbithole to tumble down and discover so much more. After chatting with the dealer a bit more about the record and my taste in Jazz, I was convinced enough to make the purchase.

When reading up on Jaan Kuman further I learned that to release his music under Soviet Rule in Estonia, he had to brand it as ‘dance music’. This simple trick was enough to evade the Russian authorities who sanctioned ‘jazz’ and anything else they considered to be a result of Western influence. In fact between 1975 and 1977 he managed to release nine records and in the process became a legend of the underground jazz scene in Estonia. 

And from my first listen of the record when I returned home I could immediately understand why. It is exactly how I like my jazz-funk to sound - full of groove, fizzing with energy and featuring some blistering instrumentation. It’s a gorgeous listen from front to back but some of the highlights include ‘Globus’, ‘Terminus’ and the final track ‘Caprice.’ 
Something I had said in my talk that morning before the record fair was that AI music is devoid of context. It might be able to mimic human music but it cannot create human stories from thin air. And this Jaan Kuman record is a perfect example of why context and stories matter and why it makes music so much more meaningful.

Every time I drop the needle on this record, I'm transported straight back to that sunny record fair in Tallinn and I’m reminded not only of the bravery and defiance of musicians throughout history, but of how the records I’ve discovered through human interactions are so often the ones I form the deepest connection with."

Thanks to Josh for taking the time out to tell us this story, be sure to keep uptodate with all his goings on by giving him a follow on Instagram.