The Best Acid Jazz Albums to Add to Your Shelf

Transatlantic trioFemi Williams‘ intelligent mix of low-slung funk, homegrown hip-hop, and retro-soul.

The scene’s first Mercury Prize nominee, Road To Freedom, also gave acid jazz a political edge. “Get Yourself Together” explicitly advocated for peace. Meanwhile, the signature hit “Apparently Nothin’” is the grooviest song to protest the Iraq War.

Renowned for a proudly ‘70s-indebted sound, they cleverly coined ‘Delicious Vinyl, to be more precise.

Indeed, after replacing Brit N’Dea Davenport elevated “Dream Come True” and “Stay This Way” to instant classics. And on the new cut “Never Stop,” her gloriously expressive tones powered the scene’s breakthrough Hot 100 hit. Instrumental workouts such as “BNH” and “Shake Down,” meanwhile, proved that the band could also start the party without a single word. 

Formed byMaysa Leak holds it all together with a voice as fluid as the arrangements.

Troubled by the London rap scene’s increasingly incendiary vibes, hip-hop outfitConnected. Given their momentum-killing, near-decade-long break thereafter, it’s easy to forget the success of this musical reinvention.

Indeed, Connected won Best British Album at the 1994 BRIT Awards, spent more than a year on the U.K. charts, and spawned three Hot 100 hits, including the anthemic title track. But the likes of the Latin-tinged “Sketch” and cinematic “Playing with Fire” are also fitting vehicles for their hypnotizing looping grooves, soulful melodies, and rhymes delivered with more swagger than an Oasis box set.

Although not to be confused with the ’60s California band of Tower of Power-inspired “Stardust Bubblegum” have deservedly become part of the scene’s canon.

Fronted by one-time acid house DJCrosby, Stills & Nash’s folk-rock gem “Long Time Gone” also gave the Londoners a long overdue hit single, while the road-building protest “Twyford Down” solidified their status as the funkiest environmental warriors.

Following the environmental manifesto of debut Stuart Zender’s funky basslines as Kay’s Stevie Wonder-esque vocals, it’s the acid jazz scene’s ultimate musical odyssey.