Venna - MALIK (2025) [Official Digital Download 24/48]

After two EPs and an illuminating start to his career, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Venna releases his debut album, Malik. Not wanting to be rooted in jazz alone, Malik embodies the melting pot of sounds that reflects Venna’s environment. Bossa Nova influences can be heard across the album, as well as a deep love for Soul, R&B, and Rap. Venna’s broad range shines bright in his choice of collaborators, including vocalists Jorja Smith, Leon Thomas, MIKE, and Smino, as well as instrumentalists such as Yussef Dayes and Marco Bernardis.

It’s a beautiful rarity when an artist sees themselves as a vessel of the music, and though MALIK is a manifestation of his experiences and how he sees the world and years of craft, Venna wants MALIK to be an invitation. An invitation to let go, be present and submit to sensory experiences.

“Every experience, every memory, every conversation, anything new, any encounter has influenced how this album sounds. I might like a particular guitar tone from it, and then I bring it into my world. Everything has come and conjured into one place, and it's beautiful to also hear and see,” Venna says.

MALIK is where listeners can get lost and find themselves again. The album also features a long list of musicians including Rocco Palladino, Elijah Fox, AoD, J Warner, Marco Bernardis and longtime collaborator, Yussef Dayes.

Venna speaks on the reason behind the album title: “The album MALIK was named by my mother 26 years before the album was made. A strong name that means King or leader in Arabic. A name that I’ve lived with all my life. A name that my nearest and dearest have called me & a name that I learnt to become. Throughout the whole process of the album - I’ve had another name that I loved but I felt like I wasn’t living in my undeniable truth & what better way to live in one’s truth than naming their debut album the name that their mother named them. I present my debut album MALIK.”

Tracklist:
1 Yoshi’ Intro
2 Numero Uno
3 Myself (feat. Jorja Smith)
4 Prophet
5 +Star101
6 Day x2 (feat. MIKE & Marco Bernardis)
7 São Paulo’ Interlude
8 Twisting (feat. Leon Thomas)
9 Zazu
10 Mr Popular (feat. Smino)
11 Raggo Rock
12 Veranda (feat. CARI)
13 Alchemy
14 Clarendon Fable
15 Indigo
16 My Way
17 Eternal Reflections (feat. Yussef Dayes)


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