Hartlepool’s rising jazz-soul quartet NEEB spread their wings with their debut album Take To The Sky, released October 10, 2025, via Shy Bairn Records. There’s Jasmine Weatherill (vocals, acoustic guitar), Mark Hand (keys, synths), Tony Waite (bass, producer), and Mark Lloyd (drums, percussion), and they have come together to produce eight lush, genre-bending tracks that drift between jazz, soul, and ambient grooves. Recorded at their own Mobeus Studio, the album marks the culmination of two years of sonic experimentation, getting in Weatherill’s warmth alongside the band’s sleek, immersive soundscapes. With guests like Martin Ditcham (Talk Talk, Sade) on percussion and Andy Wain on synths, NEEB bring a smooth sophistication to the UK jazz-soul scene.
The album’s opener, “Take To The Sky,” sets the tone with a gentle, slow burn. A soft, meditative hum unfolds before shimmering cymbals and crisp drums rise to sizzle, slap, and smack beneath Weatherill’s soulful, echoing vocals. The singer wails into the distance with such soulful and meditative sonority. When she’s not vocalizing, she sings in ethereal reverb as if she’s half-floating through the music. It’s like a spiritual invocation that instantly draws you in.
Midway through, “All Caught Up” lifts the energy with a pulsing rhythm and an exhilarating, tender and warm performance. Weatherill brings grit and grace, her thick timbre cutting through Waite’s slick basslines and Hand’s dreamy chords.
Finally, “Brighter Day” closes the album in pure serenity, opening with the sound of gushing water and earthy percussion before Jasmine’s velvety vocals melt into the mix. “You can’t see what you gonna be / Take it all the way,” she sings airily in long-winded lines, like the whole meditative act of sunrise rising in song form. Take To The Sky is an atmospheric journey through emotion, groove, and healing light. Hop on it on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan