RISE – Bonnie J Jensen

RISE finds Sydney vocalist Bonnie J Jensen returning with her fifth album, her largest recording project so far. Across 12 tracks she moves between intimate settings and three band performances recorded with members of the Dan Barnett Big Band. The repertoire includes two originals plus interpretations linked to Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Nitin Sawhney, Michael Franks, Sting, James Taylor and Little River Band. Jensen produced the album and contributed arrangements alongside Graham Jesse, Brett Hirst and Andrew Robertson. It is lively polished and generous jazz, with enough swing to make sitting still feel unreasonable.

LIVE-ACTION – Nate Smith

LIVE-ACTION finds drummer, composer, producer and bandleader Nate Smith building a genre fluid studio album around live performance and a circle of collaborators. Released through naïve on August 29, 2025. Smith recorded the music live in a couple of takes, while keeping the same instruments throughout. The album moves through jazz, R&B, hip-hop, funk, rock and pop without treating any style like borrowed furniture. The records guests bring rap, horns, guitars, bass and vocal harmony. It is muscular, playful and built to move.