Joshua Worden

Joshua Worden has multitasked on the production of his recently released album ‘Always this’ to create something so smooth and harmonious, yet it is completely atypical to common R&B albums. Taking command of vocals, keys, guitar, synth and samples, the multi-instrumental musician from Atlanta, Georgia, USA utilises electronic sounds to create new age ballads that retain the poignancy and emotion of acoustical R&B and soul types of yesteryear like Joe, Jon B, Brian McKnight and the late, great Luther Vandross. If anything, the infusion of soft, euphoric synths enhance the melodic nature of each song, taking you on an enraptured journey.

A lot of what Joshua Worden does reminds me of what James Blake is doing with his music in Britain. Both are trying to revolutionise the way that soul and jazz sound, opening the diehard fans up to new realms of perception within those genres whilst engaging a new fan base who are obsessed with synthetic sound forms and heavy bass lines. The pair even have a similar tone and cadence to their voices, so I would suggest that if you are a fan of James Blake, or maybe even Frank Ocean, then you will undoubtedly enjoy ‘Always This’.

Joshua Worden’s contemplative lyricism is indicative of a man with wisdom from life experiences, decisions and wants. True to those who influenced his work, ‘Always This’ speaks in miniature accounts that are often relative to the listener and incite the listener to consider their actions and their lives. It’s clear that ‘Always This’ has a similar appreciation for wordplay as it does instrumentalism, production and arrangement. ‘Always This’ is the perfect album for some calming alone time in which you don’t want to do much physically but you still want to remain mentally stimulated.