Jazz is Dead founder + composer Adrian Younge announces Something About April III (Linear Labs), the final album-length installment of his psychedelic soul trilogy with a unique Brazilian twist, out April 18, 2025.
“A Música Na Minha Fantasia’ is one of the first songs I created for SAA III because I needed to start the album with vigor and purpose. It’s a song I love so much because it’s the first time I really heard my psychedelic Adrian Younge sound come to life with authentic Brazilian vocals in Portuguese. Particularly, I like to create the kind of sound that hip-hop producers and record collectors scour the world for when looking for that perfect sample. This song is the first time I’m bringing the Adrian Younge version of that sound to Brazil.” – Adrian Younge
Taking the Something About April albums on tour through North America, featuring a 10-piece orchestra.
Something About April tour dates
3.1 – 529 – Atlanta, GA
3.2 – Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, PA
3.4 – Sultan Room – Brooklyn, NY
3.7 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA
3.8 – La Sala Rossa – Montreal, QC
3.9 – Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
3.12 – Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL
3.14 – Turf Club – Minneapolis, MN
3.15 – Marquis Theater – Denver, CO
3.26 – Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
3.27 – Aladdin Theater – Portland, OR
4.1 – Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA
4.5 – Quartyard – San Diego, CA
Adrian Younge’s Something About April III completes his trilogy of psychedelic soul—a stunning sonic adventure that redefines the genre for new generations. A record that fuses the cinematic soul of Black America with the vibrant, psychedelic sounds of Brazil’s past, it serves as a forward-looking homage to musical traditions. Rooted in Younge’s lifelong dedication to analog sound and creative innovation, Something About April III is fueled by his work with legendary Brazilian musicians on Jazz Is Dead, his deep connection to Brazil’s vinyl-digging culture, and his profound respect for its musical legacy. To immerse himself fully, Younge spent the past few years studying Portuguese, a commitment that enabled him to write the album’s lyrics in the language and deepen his bond with Brazilian culture.
“Something About April III is the album I wanted to make when I created the first album in 2011,” Younge explains. “However, I didn’t have the musical know-how and experience to create the sound that was buried deep in my soul…I hadn’t even been to Brazil! Essentially, SAA III is the album that has taken me fifteen years to uncover and fully realize. From a cratedigger’s perspective, it’s the album I’ve been diggin’ for in the deepest crates of my soul. A lost album I finally found.”
This final chapter of the Something About April trilogy is Younge’s most daring and refined work yet, pushing the boundaries of its predecessors while staying true to his signature analog aesthetic. Layered with fuzzed-out drum breaks and analog synthesizers, the record weaves a timeless yet groundbreaking soundscape. The album features lush arrangements by a 30-piece orchestra, which Younge both arranged and conducted. In search of a new sonic texture, he intensely studied the upright bass, playing this as well as all of the other instruments of the rhythm section. Central to the project are the vocals, recorded to tape in one of São Paulo’s last remaining analog studios. Featured are celebrated Brazilian artists Céu, Luiza Lian, Miguel Lian Leite, Antonio Pinto, and Manu Julian. These voices, handpicked for their unique artistry, bring depth and authenticity to Younge’s cinematic vision.
Younge spent weeks in Brazil shooting super 8mm film and analog photography to create the album cover and fictional narrative behind Something About April III: The tale of a young Black Brazilian couple struggling to preserve their love against all odds. Younge’s thematic richness elevates the album from a mere musical work to a full on cinematic experience. Songs like “Música Na Minha Fantasia” poetically describe the couple’s relationship as “two records spinning at varying RPMs in a place they don’t belong,” while “Nossas Sombras” delves into their forbidden love, questioning in Portuguese, “Do you cry when lovers dream?” “Nunca Estranhos” and “O Som Do Amor” epitomize Younge’s masterful fusion of influences, pairing soaring vocal harmonies with intricate arrangements. “Nossas Sombras” channels the experimental essence of Brazil’s countercultural pioneers, while “Esperando Por Você” evokes the warmth of Brazilian soul, reframed through Younge’s innovative lens.
The first installments in the Something About April trilogy set the standard for everything that has made Adrian Younge an in-demand composer; they celebrate the heritage of vinyl culture and these works have been sampled by some of the biggest names in Hip Hop worldwide. This time, Younge has expanded the scope, drawing inspiration from years spent digging through rare Brazilian records to craft a sonic landscape that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking—a psychedelic soul journey with a distinctly Brazilian twist.
Younge’s dedication to this project extends beyond the music, as he views it as a recognition of the profound contributions Brazilian culture has made to the world. To mark the release of the album, Younge will embark on an international tour, with Brazil as its primary destination, further cementing his deep connection to the country and its musical heritage.
With Something About April III, Younge seals his legacy as America’s Black genius—a pioneer in modern sound and composition who continues to challenge the sonic audacity of the Something About April collection. This album is not just an homage to Brazilian music but a reinvention, showcasing Younge’s evolution as an artist: a generational talent. It is a masterpiece destined to be cherished by crate diggers, producers, and music lovers alike for generations to come.
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