Late Nights & Heartbreak (10Th Anniversary Edition)

Description

Originally released in 2016 to critical acclaim, Late Nights & Heartbreak has since become a modern soul classic. Its cult status was sealed when Jay-Z built the title track of 4:44 entirely around Hannah Williams's original recording. Used as a raw confession of infidelity, the song was Jay-Z's response to his wife Beyoncé's Lemonade, introducing Hannah's inimitable voice to an international audience. Recorded at Quatermass Studio in London, the studio of cult band The Heliocentrics, Late Nights & Heartbreak showcases Hannah accompanied by her new band, The Affirmations. The album was produced by Malcolm Catto, known for his collaborations with artists such as Mulatu Astatke, Orlando Julius, Floating Points, Quantic, DJ Shadow, and Madlib. Mixed entirely in analog and mastered on tape, the record delivers a raw, punchy, and deeply immersive sound. Across 13 tracks, Late Nights & Heartbreak explores a visceral and powerful soul, tinged with a subtle psychedelic touch. From the haunting first single “Tame in the Water” to the relentless eight-minute groove of “Still in My Head,” the album highlights the exceptional power and mastery of Hannah's voice, in all its glory. All songs are original compositions written by the Bristol collective surrounding The Affirmations, under the musical direction of James Graham. Supported from the start by the late Sharon Jones, Hannah Williams made a explosive entrance onto the soul scene with her debut album, A Hill of Feathers, in 2012. The single “Work It Out” became a hit on independent radio, launching a career rooted in the mythology of modern soul. Raised in a family of musicians, Hannah sang in her church choir from the age of six and could read music before she could read words. Today, she is an irresistible force, an artist of rare talent, seen once in a generation. Ten years later, Late Nights & Heartbreak returns on vinyl in this special anniversary reissue, confirming why Hannah Williams & The Affirmations remain among the most powerful voices in contemporary soul.