London-based singer-songwriter Emily Dankworth shares "You Belong To The World," a shining new single, marking the next chapter in her fusion of jazz lineage with modern sounds.
In a voice that is at once intimate and grand, Dankworth takes on the subject of love, memory, and freedom. "You Belong To The World" comes as an airy, soulful recount of meeting and experiencing a free spirit – someone whose wildness cannot be contained within, but instead shines as belonging to something big. The track leans into nu-jazz and jazztronica soundscapes while retaining the heart of a timeless ballad, with each harmony a brushstroke on an emotional canvas.
Dankworth's rich, evocative voice slides through layers of harmony and hints at jazz but with a folk/mythological feel that brings the music down to Earth while simultaneously reaching for the heavens. There's an airiness to the production that reflects the lyrical theme of freedom without limits. Part poetry, part memoir, the book is for anyone who's known what it means to find beauty and supernova-scale heartache in love. "You Belong To The World" is an insight into Dankworth's development as an artist. Suppose the prior release buried itself in lissome, tender orchestration with few other voice-like sounds. In that case, this new chapter keeps the rhythm and atmo up front while twisting intimacy through electronic, jazz, and forever soul.
Emily Dankworth is at a rare place where heritage meets inspiration. On "You Belong To The World," she establishes herself as a voice of the future of jazz, keeping its emotive heart alive while stretching out its form for contemporary ears. It's a song that is at once extremely intimate and transcendent, an ode to love, freedom, and a sense of belonging.