A powerhouse jazz-drum fusion that thrives on rhythm, mood, and masterful interplay.

Alfa Mist has long been a central figure in London’s jazz scene, known for weaving soulful harmony and hip-hop grooves into introspective, melodic improvisations. His five solo albums since 2015’s Nocturne have refined this style, while side projects with UK rappers and R&B singers have stretched his sonic palette.

His latest venture, 44th Move, finds him teaming up with renowned drummer Richard Spaven, whose jaw-dropping precision and rhythmic inventiveness elevate this collaboration into something uniquely propulsive. Their debut album, Anthem, is a tightly focused exploration of rhythm, space, and texture.

There are echoes of classic Alfa Mist throughout—warm Rhodes chords, head-nodding swing, and moody motifs appear on tracks like the title cut and 2nd September. But Anthem really shines when it pushes beyond familiar terrain. Free Hit is a standout, with Spaven bending time over fractured breakbeats as Mist lays down cool, understated chords. Second Wave flirts with shadowy drum’n’bass, while Barrage dives deep into dub, thick with delay and bass-heavy repetition. Throughout the album, the chemistry is electric. Mist plays with restraint and grace, giving Spaven’s kinetic drumming plenty of room to spark. It’s a refined, modern jazz record built not just on harmony, but on groove and momentum. Anthem is a bold, rhythmic statement from two musicians operating in perfect sync—more beat-forward than Alfa Mist’s solo work, but no less emotionally rich.