Jeremy Loops - Trading Change (Deluxe Edition) (2015)

Despite Trading Change being naught more than his debut full-length studio record, Jeremy Loops is a pretty big deal. With a career trajectory already drawing comparisons to the kind of build prior to Ed Sheeran’s meteoric rise, there is much hype to do about the South African singer-songwriter’s first LP, primarily comprised of songs newly adapted from his original EP and live performances. Armed with his titular loop pedals, an acoustic guitar, and a voice, Loops had initially solidified himself as a cult favorite amongst the indie music scene for his upbeat temperament and keen knack for producing a solid show as a one man band. Trading Change, with all of its interpretable meanings, also marks a change for Loops; having toured throughout the country for years, building his fanbase through gradual grassroots campaigning as that aforementioned one man army, he’s now recruited strong African talent to join him on his debut record.

The first thing that most listeners would recognize about the album is its totally individualized flavor. Album opener “Sinner” invokes a profoundly South African flavor into proceedings that lasts throughout the remainder of the album, with a strong loop-produced chorus backing him up right out of the gate before it transitions into a strong folk/pop number with copious amounts of harmonica and strings, with a catchy hook to boot. The song evolves into a rollicking final chorus, bringing back the backing harmonies from the opening of the track for something sonically astounding. Traditional touches, such as the aforementioned harmonica, as well as the banjo, pervade throughout the album, but not without Loops’ fair share of modern and cultural twists and turns. Pop/rock, hip-hop, electronic, folk, and African folk all have a place on Trading Change, making for one of the more tastefully different releases of the year, thus far.

TRACKLIST

01. Sinner
02. Power
03. Down South (feat. Motheo Moleko)
04. Trip Fox
05. Mission To the Sun (feat. Jamie Faull)
06. Skinny Blues
07. Higher Stakes
08. Running Away (feat. Motheo Moleko)
09. Killer Killer
10. My Shoes (feat. Motheo Moleko)
11. Basil
12. See, I Wrote It For You
13. Down South (feat. Motheo Moleko) (Live)
14. Sinner (Live)
15. Lonesome and Blue (feat. Adelle Nqeto)
16. The Gypsy Opera