Jesse Markin’s third studio album, Pump, reconnects us with the foundations of human life. There is no sign of trends; the superficial gives way to truly important aspects, and love permeates everything as an antidote to the problems that the world suffers, which sometimes bring out the worst in human beings. Over three years since the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore album Noir, the Liberia-born artist, who was raised in Ghana and Finland, now takes his signature sound to new heights, putting the focus on the purest emotions through exciting soundscapes.
“After three years of complete dedication, filled with joys, frustrations, discoveries, and endless searching, our work has finally emerged into the light of day,” Markin shared a few hours ago on Instagram, announcing that his new thirteen-song album, Pump, was finally available. The project is carefully crafted and includes calls to action, allegories to empathy and compassion, and very powerful reflections on the meaning of life, love, and relationships with others. “Even though I do believe that the search for love is an act of bravery, we must carefully define to ourselves what is love,” he says about his single The Act of Bravery, one of our favourites.
From the celestial spoken word opener Trustfall to the energetic midway rap of Glow, each song keeps its own essence while being part of a whole, shaping a project with different edges in which everything makes sense. “My radical theory is that love and compassion will overcome most of it. Or at least it is a way for a new beginning. Empathy is key when we're talking about communication,” he replies when asked about the album's focus track, Radical Theory, in which he explores love from different perspectives, trying to answer many questions.