Confines by Pan Amsterdam

Pan Amsterdam is the musical persona of Leron Thomas, a Houston-born, New York based musical nomad. Rapper, jazz trumpeter, producer, musical director, thinker, often all at once, Thomas’ music traverses a woozy, nocturnal world where his many musical disciplines morph and merge into a deeply odd yet consistently coherent sound.

He made his debut as Pan Amsterdam in 2018 before which he released eleven experimental and stylistically varied studio albums under his own name, the earliest being 2005’s Dirty Draws Vol.1, and the most recent being Dingo Babies, released last November. Throughout his career, he’s played alongside some of the most notorious names in the jazz world, including Roy Hargrove, Billy Harper, Charles T Olliver and Bobby Watson and outside of the genre, his résumé is equally impressive, encompassing in-studio and on-stage collaborations with the likes of Mos Def, Bilal, Guts, Kanye West and Lauryn Hill.

Having studied Jazz and Contemporary Music at the New School in New York City and subsequently collaborated with artists like Iggy Pop and Metronomy, he blends experimental hip hop, jazz, funk, and electronic influences, resulting in shapeshifting, genre-defying tracks. His forthcoming album Confines exemplifies his improvisational style, mixing calculated ideas with spontaneous creativity. He describes his approach as organic, reflecting life’s unpredictable nature, and likens his sound to a fusion of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins.

Confines explores diverse themes, from racial politics and identity to pop culture references. With a stream-of-consciousness style, Pan Amsterdam raps about everything from cultural observations to food. This mix of humour, social commentary, and introspection is an exploration of the world through a childlike, almost alien perspective and his background in gospel, jazz, hip hop, and even the Grateful Dead shapes this eclectic sound.

The album title reflects Pan Amsterdam’s refusal to be confined by genre. The music channels influences from hip hop’s golden age, alongside nods to artists like Kool Keith, Busta Rhymes, and MF Doom. Confines also marks a personal turning point for Thomas, dedicated to his late father and embracing his rebirth as Pan Amsterdam after years of frustration in the jazz scene.

Pan Amsterdam’s journey was catalysed by his disillusionment with jazz’s gatekeepers and his subsequent embrace of hip hop, leading to early releases that caught the attention of icon Iggy Pop. Their collaboration on Confines further solidified Pan Amsterdam’s place in the musical world. With his new album out on Heavenly Recordings, Thomas reflects on how music connects kindred spirits, allowing him to break free from his past and continue his creative evolution.

When Pan Amsterdam washed up on the coast, he was wearing an oversized black velvet jacket with a cigarette burn, black jeans and two different coloured church socks. Further along the coast we found a trumpet case WITH a trumpet inside of it, in the case's side zipper there was a mouthpiece, valve oil for the horn, and a drive with tape on. Written on the tape were the words, "Elevator Music".

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