Sylvie Natsume – Midnight Train (2026)
With a growing reputation as one of the more intriguing acts in the UK contemporary jazz scene, Sylvie Natsume might be fresh-faced and seemingly innocent; however, the profoundness and maturity of her work showcase a skilled soul beneath the sweet surface. This is our introduction to Natsume, yet she is already turning heads across the UK with features on BBC Radio Leeds and Sheffield – rave reviews on notable publications, and a BBC Introducing Live feature including an interview. The latest addition to her discography is her debut album, Komorebi.
Komorebi is an eight-track album sitting at about half an hour, but we’re focusing on the song, ‘Midnight Train’. Recorded and produced by Natsume, George Gellersen, and Hippocratic Mastering, this track is the one you have on repeat in the background whether you need a calming moment in the workday, something light when you’re reading in the sunlight, or that song that just sinks into your soul with soothing relief. It’s beautiful, fascinating, and so easy to listen to that you almost feel it’s that place of comfort you’ve always known exists, and now here it is.
Alright, so the soothing, laid-back, wash of emotional music is on, but what’s it all about? Sylvie Natsume begins the track with a jazzy piano, as Joe Cox sits in the background with a sweeping cymbal and drums. It’s bright and light, simple to follow and engage. Fynn Clements’ bass joins the arrangement; then, a dip arrives. From the rhythmic bind of the trio, an eclectic, almost acid-jazzy clip of piano keys dancing quickly in the stillness, before the smooth melody returns. Natsume is marked for improvisational jazz, so I wonder if this dip was planned or spur of the moment? Either way, it works.
As mentioned, Komorebi is Sylvie Natsume’s debut album, and while ‘Midnight Train’ is a soulful piece, it by no means overshadows the other tracks. In fact, it works in harmony with each song. Highly recommended!!
Find out more about Sylvie Natsume on her official website, Instagram, Bandcamp and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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