The great R&B experimentalist Richard has been all over the aesthetic map in the last two decades, and her furthest-out music is the stuff that she's made with the avant-garde ambient composer Spencer Zahn. Last year, they released Quiet In A World Full Of Noise, their second collaborative album. Joseph Shabason, meanwhile, is a producer, multi-instrumentalist, and former Destroyer member. Earlier this year, he and Spencer Zahn got together for their own collaborative record, the EP Buds. There was one degree of separation between Dawn Richard and Joseph Shabason before today, and now there are none.
Actually, there were already no degrees of separation between Joseph Shabason and Dawn Richard, since Shabason was on Richard and Spencer Zahn's tour last year. But now, they've joined forces on record for a very important reason: to pay tribute to Sade. Their new collaborative track "Broken Hearted Sade" is almost a mash-up. The instrumental track is "Broken Hearted Kota," a lovely jazz-inflected track that Shabason included on his 2019 EP Anne. Over that track, Richard gently sings bits and pieces of the Sade classics "No Ordinary Love," "Cherish The Day," and "Is It A Crime." The medley slides by with a gentle sophistication worthy of Sade themselves. Here's what Richard says about it:
Sade has been a profound influence on me musically -- her ability to blend soul, jazz, and timeless storytelling has shaped the way I approach my own artistry. Her music is not just heard; it’s felt, embodying a depth and elegance that transcends time. Choosing to cover three of her records and weaving their stories into one new experience is something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s my way of paying homage to an artist who has inspired me endlessly, while also reimagining these classics through my own sonic lens.
And here's what Shabason says:
Back in the fall, when I was touring with Dawn and Spencer, I would soundcheck with "Broken-Hearted Kota." Almost immediately after the first soundcheck, Dawn would come in and start singing Sade songs over the chords. It worked so seamlessly that we made it part of the show every night. After the tour ended, we knew we had to record it. In February, Dawn sent me her vocals, and I rearranged and remixed the original song so that the arrangement worked. The end result is a fun reimagining of both the Sade songs Dawn sang and what "Broken-Hearted Kota" could be.
Check it out below.
"Broken Hearted Sade" is out now on Western Vinyl.
