‘Agua de Jamaica’ is the first collaborative project between producer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Sly5thAve and pianist and composer Roberto Verástegui. Recorded during lockdown in Mexico, the LP is built from a passionate and comprehensive understanding of Jazz, a love of Hip Hop and Mexico City’s ever-vibrant artistic culture, Latin flavours, and the African roots from which these sounds grew.
At the heart of ‘Agua de Jamaica’ is the title track; the moment Sly5thAve and Roberto realised they had something to pursue. The pair originally met whilst studying Jazz in Texas and began piecing together the release on Sly5thAve’s first visit to Mexico, over a drink of Agua de Jamaica. Thought of by both Sly5thAve and Roberto as the fullest collaboration on the release, “Agua de Jamaica” considers the constant artistic and cultural exchange between the US and Mexico, despite the politically differences. It draws the listener in with looping Hip Hop groove intertwined with hypnotic vocals from local artist Silvana Estrada.
Having moved to Mexico City at the beginning of 2020, Sly5thAve stayed with Roberto and his wife Yuki during the first Covid-19 lockdown. This time allowed for the pair to build on their ideas and explorations of different sounds and places centred around Jazz. Continuing in the Jazz traditions, ‘Agua de Jamaica’ is littered with signature Sly5thAve interludes, weaved together like a symphony using album outtakes; “it’s my favourite thing about making a record – making a complete piece from start to finish”.
| A1 | Tie Break |
| A2 | Past Thoughts |
| B1 | Agua de Jamaica |
| B2 | Interludio 3 |
| B3 | Ensencialmente |
| C1 | Reflexion |
| C2 | Poinciana |
| C3 | Interludio 2 |
| C4 | La Tormenta |
| D1 | Interludio 1 |
| D2 | El Momento |
| D3 | Empeno (aka lil' bop) |
| D4 | The Wanderer |
