With his EP »Love & Life«, Chip Wickham delivers the kind of jazzy soundtrack you should listen to in the unlikely event that you ever find yourself on an intoxicated walk in the woods. The source of the intoxication does not matter because the British musician covers both the state of mind produced by chemical and spiritual stimulation with his sound. Which should make it quite clear that the four tracks on this EP have quite a 60s vibe to them. On »Slow Down Look Around«, brass and flute carry the melody in such a lovely, understated and nostalgic way that it transports you to the heart of Mother Earth, no matter how much the press release talks about cosmic realms. This is because »Love & Life«, and Wickham’s playing in general, is far too grounded, far too much to the point than anything to be found beyond our own horizons. This is all a huge lesson in how the world is changing and how fast it is changing, says Wickham himself. »Technology comes and goes, but human needs stay the same: Peace, tranquillity and the time to think.« Admittedly, this would also serve well as a motivational message written against the backdrop of a snow-capped mountain, but the way Chip Wickham resolutely puts it into practice in the sounds he creates, you may as well believe it for the time it takes to listen to the four tracks on this EP. Or at the latest when your take your next walk in the woods.
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