79.5 is the sound of New York City. The Brooklyn-based band has announced its forthcoming self-titled album, due out May 5 on Razor-N-Tape. Soulful and psychedelic, the new collection’s masterful melodies may be hard to categorize, from 70’s underground disco to acid jazz to sugary sweet pop. Its very existence is a protest of the old boy’s club in the music industry. And, a personal triumph against all odds, while illuminating the most beautiful collaboration between friends. The current lineup includes singer, songwriter, and composer Kate Mattison, singer and rapper Lola Adanna, drummer Caito Sanchez (Charles Bradley, Lee Fields), bassist Andrew Raposo (Midnight Magic, Hess Is More), and sax player + flutist Izaak Mills.

Lead single, “Our Hearts Didn’t Go That Way” (Feat. Durand Jones), has been released alongside an official video, which is two minutes of pure hot neon sugar. 80’s sax shimmers throughout the bouncy track, as the vocal duet of Jones and Mattison brings to mind past epic collaborations like Michael McDonald and Patti Labelle, or the late greats Ronnie Spector and Eddie Money. Although heartbreaking in nature, the song evokes a feeling that true love can never be broken.

Named after an imaginary radio station, 79.5 was started in 2010 by Kate Mattison. With only a self-released 12” in circulation, 79.5 was written up in The New Yorker twice based on the eminence of their live sets alone. In 2016, the band released the now classic 45, “Terrorize My Heart (Disco Dub)” a staple in DJ sets, getting spins from Gilles Peterson, Q-Tip, Just Blaze, and Natasha Diggs. In February 2021, Questlove added the Mattison-penned track to his 100 Essential Songs You Should Know playlist, which includes legendary musicians Sade, CHIC, Patrice Rushen, and Prince.

Photo Courtesy: Rosie Cohe