oliver night: between the lines
Francisco Espregueira
London-based producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist Oliver Night steps forward with his debut album on Tru Thoughts, Between The Lines. This is a rich, genre-spanning project that traces the evolution of his sound. The Brighton-based label, known since 1999 for championing a wide array of genres from soul and jazz to hip-hop and broken beat, provides the perfect home for Oliver's fluid style. His music is deeply rooted in UK sound system culture but is always pushing forward, blending soulful textures, lush harmonies, and kinetic broken rhythms. Oliver’s commitment to community and collaboration shines through, featuring a phenomenal lineup including legendary British rapper Roots Manuva, alongside celebrated innovators like TREV, KAYA FYAH, Megatronic, David Mrakpor (of Blue Lab Beats), and trumpeter Jay Phelps.
The album effortlessly moves through moods and influences. The energetic opener, "Undefeated," featuring Goldbar, is a broken beat stepper focused on staying grounded, while the soul-infused "Run Like The River," featuring CoOp Presents affiliate TREV, serves as a call for liberation and self-belief. The album focus track, "Boss," sees Oliver Night reconnect with one of his heroes, Roots Manuva, on a track built on a broken beat backbone that serves as a reminder to stay true to yourself. Oliver’s ability to resist neat definitions—a quality he describes as a distinct "Ollie groove"—is clear, whether he's crafting the future-disco call to the dancefloor "We Are Love" (featuring Megatronic) or pushing into psychedelic, trance-like jazz territories on the closing, hypnotic "Trance End." Between The Lines is a vital claim staking Oliver Night as a versatile and forward-thinking voice in the bruk and soul landscape. Available on vinyl.