Description
R+R=Now – Collagically Speaking – Double Vinyl Records
R+R=Now’s Collagically Speaking, released on June 15, 2018, is a groundbreaking fusion of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, and spoken word, serving as both a sonic experiment and a cultural statement. The album is the debut from the supergroup R+R=Now, an acronym for Reflect+Respond=Now, which was conceived by keyboardist and producer Robert Glasper. The group features an all-star lineup of modern genre-blending virtuosos: Terrace Martin (saxophone, synths), Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah (trumpet), Derrick Hodge (bass), Taylor McFerrin (synths, beat production), and Justin Tyson (drums).
Together, these artists craft an album that feels deeply rooted in improvisation yet grounded by a shared purpose—to reflect the political and emotional turbulence of contemporary life and respond with a creative force that is urgent, empathetic, and transformative. Collagically Speaking is not just music—it’s a multimedia conversation, with layers of live instrumentation, electronic textures, and spoken-word interludes that pull listeners into a living, breathing sound collage.
From a sonic standpoint, the album lives at the crossroads of Afrofuturism, neo-soul, jazz fusion, and experimental hip-hop. Tracks like “Change of Tone” and “Colors in the Dark” swirl with lush chord progressions, subtle electronics, and hypnotic grooves, while trumpet and saxophone lines float in and out like thoughts being processed in real time. The atmosphere is moody, spiritual, and richly textured.
The album also features spoken-word interludes and guest contributions from artists like Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Amber Navran (of Moonchild), and Amanda Seales, who bring depth and commentary to the record’s themes of identity, resistance, love, and creative freedom. These narrative pieces—often poetic and reflective—blur the line between song and statement, adding to the album’s collage-like construction.
One of the standout moments, “Resting Warrior,” feels like a meditative balm, balancing ambient electronics with lyrical trumpet work and a calming, mantra-like vocal refrain. On the opposite end, tracks like “Respond” and “Needed You Still” hit with more groove and momentum, inviting movement while still maintaining a cerebral undercurrent.
What makes Collagically Speaking so powerful is its communal spirit. It doesn’t feel like a collection of soloists taking turns—it feels like a true ensemble, locked into a shared emotional and creative language. The “collage” is not just a stylistic gesture—it’s a metaphor for Black expression, cultural memory, and musical innovation, pieced together across genres, eras, and influences.
The album was praised for its ambition and cohesion. It stood out in 2018 as a record that bridged the gap between jazz traditionalism and forward-looking genre experimentation, earning comparisons to projects like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Esperanza Spalding’s Emily’s D+Evolution. For jazz fans, hip-hop heads, and lovers of progressive Black music alike, Collagically Speaking became an instant cult classic.
Collagically Speaking is more than a jazz album—it’s a creative manifesto. It asks us to reflect on our world, respond with compassion and artistry, and embrace the “now” with all its complexity and beauty. It’s one of the most important records of the late 2010s for anyone exploring the intersection of jazz, politics, and genre-defying innovation.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Change Of Tone
Awake To You
By Design
Resting Warrior
Needed You Still
Colors In The Dark
The Night In Question
Reflect Reprise
Her=Now
Respond
Been On My Mind
