open this wall

Released in July 2024, 'open this wall' is the definitive full-length statement from berlioz, an artist who has become synonymous with the 'jazz-house' aesthetic. The album refines the blueprint established in earlier EPs, leaning heavily into the intersection of UK jazz and deep house. Sonically, the record is characterized by its use of live-sounding brass - specifically the saxophone - and upright bass lines that are processed to sound like vintage samples. The recording context favors a 'bedroom-to-club' pipeline, where the intimacy of home production meets the rhythmic sophistication of dance music. Critical reception has highlighted berlioz's ability to make electronic music feel 'alive' and 'breathable.' Tracks like 'ode to rahsaan' pay direct homage to jazz history while 'joycelyn’s dance' demonstrates a keen understanding of dancefloor dynamics. This album is distinct for its rejection of digital crispness in favor of a saturated, analog-leaning warmth that has defined the nu jazz resurgence of the mid-2020s.