Tonight’s show at Santeria Toscana 31 in Milan is one I have been anticipating for weeks. Alfa Mist, the young London-based musician taking the stage, has quietly built an impressive résumé over the past decade. A central figure in the UK’s nu-jazz movement, he has blurred the lines between jazz, hip-hop beats, samples, improvisation, electronica and rap with remarkable ease. Beyond his own recordings, he has also shaped the sound of others through thoughtful production work and collaborations with artists such as Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei.
His sixth album, Roulette, has just been released on his own label, Sekito — a clear sign of artistic independence and confidence.
What first drew me to his music was the atmosphere of those early records. There was space in them — room for musicians to stretch out and breathe. Nothing felt rushed. His keyboard playing, delicate yet purposeful, carried a quiet emotional weight. Each note seemed placed with care, inviting the listener into a warm and textured sound world. Those albums unfolded naturally, allowing the mind to drift without losing focus.
Roulette, however, asks for a different kind of listening. It does not reveal itself immediately. The album leans heavily into orchestration and layered guitar textures, creating a darker, more ambient tone than before. Where earlier work encouraged wandering thoughts, this new release demands attention and patience.
It is a science-fiction concept album built around the idea of a controlling government punishing people for crimes committed in past lives — reincarnation having been scientifically proven. It’s a dystopian reflection on the present, and the music mirrors that weighty theme.
It’s an ambitious and intriguing project. Yet as I stand in the club tonight, my hope is simple: that the performance will balance that conceptual depth with the warmth and looseness that first made his music so appealing. After all, a live show — especially in a venue this intimate — should also be about connection, release and the shared pleasure of sound in the moment.
To begin with the positives, Alfa has assembled an excellent band for this leg of the tour: Jamie Leeming on guitar, JSPHYNX on trumpet, Nathan Shingler on drums and Flo Moore on bass. There is talent and inventiveness in abundance, particularly from JSPHYNX and Nathan, who at times reach genuine moments of brilliance.
Alfa himself, seated at his trusty Rhodes piano, leads the group through much of the material from Roulette. Yet to my ears the show feels oddly claustrophobic — intense to the point of exhaustion, with one extended solo following another. I find myself slightly uncomfortable, expected to nod along in appreciation as the musicians do to each other and as the occasional punter “in the know” does too.
Perhaps if I were part of that magic circle — a musician who understands all the tricks — the effect might be different. But from where I’m standing, the magic doesn’t quite land. Complex chord structures and intricate rhythmic patterns are impressive in theory, but a little more dynamic contrast and restraint might have made the experience far more enjoyable.
As it stands, the performance begins to feel long. Alfa Mist explains the Roulette concept clearly and thoughtfully, yet the music itself drifts into a dense jazz-fusion workout that, for me, grows tiring. The highlights come when the intensity briefly lifts: a soaring trumpet passage, or the interplay between Rhodes and drums that injects a welcome hint of soul.
Personally, I still find myself drawn to Alfa Mist’s earlier work, with its more stripped-back sound and the vocal and rap elements that gave those songs a sense of depth and clarity.
The packed crowd, however, remains enthusiastic to the end, warmly applauding the band after a fine closing performance of “Brian”. This marks the third and final Italian date of their European tour before the group heads to England.
Perhaps the show will loosen up along the way. For now, though, I suspect I’ll stick with the records.
Setlist
Roulette
First Light (Freddie Hubbard cover)
Teki
Dersen Cafe
Errors
Found You
BC
Keep On
Encore
Brian
