alfa mist: roulette
Francisco Espregueira
Hailing from East London, where he initially came up through the grime and hip-hop scenes, the producer and self-taught pianist Alfa Mist has consistently set himself apart with a sound that’s impossible to box in. His music is a unique blend of melancholic jazz harmony, hip-hop rhythms, and soulful improvisation. On his sixth studio album, Roulette, he takes this genre-bending approach one step further, exploring a massive sci-fi concept set in a dystopian near-future. The whole album, released on his own Sekito label, is built around the idea that reincarnation is a proven fact, a discovery with serious ethical and philosophical consequences for society.
Across 15 tracks, the prolific musician explores themes of revenge, redemption, and forgiveness. Each song on Roulette acts as a "spin of the wheel," introducing a new character or a different perspective on the narrative. While the core features of his style remain—like those lambent piano keys and deep, intuitive grooves—the record is saturated with a smoky psychedelia that’s designed to be an immersive listen. Ultimately, Alfa Mist uses this imaginative backdrop to explore his own creative evolution. As he puts it, music is a constant in his life, one that he chisels and works on as he grows, ensuring that the sound is always fresh. A magnificent album, available on vinyl.