Headphone Highlights – Emma Jean Thackray: Lunar Conspiracies

An accomplished trumpeter and composer who studied at both the Royal Welsh College of Music and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Emma-Jean Thackray’s compositions shuttle between omnivorous sonic exploration and reverent yet forward-thinking jazz. Some suites pull as much from Ellington-era big band orchestras as they do from Bitches Brew; others offer a Madlibian approach to electronic beats; still others harness afrobeat rhythms reminiscent of Tony Allen. Her diverse yet unmistakably singular work moves seamlessly between carefully crafted freneticism and dark, brooding minimalism. No matter the arrangement, Thackray’s music is both challenging and emotionally resonant.