David Pilgrim Preps New Album for February Release

David Pilgrim believes in albums. “Being a child of the ’70s, I’m married to the album format,” says the Barbados-born, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter. “If I write ‘singles’ per se, it is by accident. I have always enjoyed the notion of an album as a series of suites, that transport you from one feeling to the next over the course of time, and this album is no different.” Pilgrim applies that sentiment to his forthcoming album, All Things Being Equal, a veritable passport of musical excursions.

Akin to his last solo album, Island Soul (2003), Pilgrim serves up an appealing blend of compositions that reflect his democratic approach to music-making. His sojourns between Barbados, Mali, Ghana, and Senegal over the past five years inform much of the material, as he draws from an eclectic palette that includes ska, R&B, reggae, Afrobeat, hip-hop, and pop. From the serene soundscapes on “Shallow Water” and “These Fragile Days” to the percussive mischief of “Baby Hot” to the rock-infused guitar solo in “Ride De Razor”, Pilgrim sates a variety of musical tastes across the album’s 13 tracks and two bonus remixes. (Listeners might recognize “Older”, “Never Go Home”, and “Belly” from Pilgrim’s work with the Soulfolk Experience on The Soulfolk Experience, Vol. 1 album.)

Some of New York City’s finest musicians join Pilgrim on All Things Being Equal, including V. Jeffrey Smith and Maritri Garrett (his collaborators from The Soulfolk Experience), Shelley Nicole (Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe), Jeff Jeudy (I Love Monsters), Ki Ki Hawkins (The Ki Ki Experience), Toni Blackman, Malesha Jessie, Sabrina Clery, Arin Maya, and DJPJ (Paul James). Written, arranged, and produced by David Pilgrim, All Things Being Equal will undoubtedly provide refuge for those seeking a mid-winter escape.