corto.alto – NOBLEHILL (feat. Jacob Alon)
The last in a string of singles by Corto Alto is “Noblehill,” which takes the producer from a Dilla-inspired hip hop instrumental through jersey club and finally into territory with a focus on saxophone and rhythmic pattern. In this song Corto Alto pairs up with fellow Scottsman Jacob Alon for an acoustic guitar-based duet that also includes elements of electronic music, and some orchestral parts, though it doesn’t fall clearly under one style or category. The single is the final advance look at SOME SMALL FORTUNE – the upcoming album by Corto Alto’s creator Liam Shortall — coming September 4th via Ninja Tune, following DON’T LISTEN (W25, 2025), APRIL (W43, 2025), WHODIS (W14), THIEF (W20), GO (W26), and IJUSTIDONTKNOW (W30).
The new song was born out of a particular moment; when his parent’s left their family house and found all the old family photo’s that were being stored there. He has spoken about the time leading into the making of the album, drawing a direct line from finding these picture’s to memories he had been losing.
The music video for the song does this directly, with old pictures of him (as a child) being shown on screen in a manner that would be used later to show off the design of the album cover. His vocals are layered above the arrangement never once overpowering or getting in the way of it. At the beginning of the song it is at its barest, but ends in a full blown, almost club like setting.
Since the release of this artist’s first few singles I have reviewed each one as they came available. What I find interesting is that none of the songs have seemed to resemble another version of themselves while they seem to all come from the same mind.
Two weeks out, and the album still hasn’t given away what it actually sounds like as a whole.
Tour dates:
Europe
- Aug. 21 / We Out Here, UK (festival)
- Aug. 28 / Into The Great Wide Open, Netherlands (festival)
- Sep. 3 / Assai, Edinburgh, UK (in-store)
- Sep. 4 / Some Great Reward, Glasgow, UK (in-store)
- Sep. 5 / Jazz à la Villette, Paris, France (festival)
- Sep. 9 / Jacaranda, Liverpool, UK (in-store)
- Sep. 10 / Dublin, Ireland
- Sep. 12 / Poplar Festival, Italy
- Sep. 18 / Rough Trade, Bristol, UK (in-store)
- Sep. 19 / Rough Trade Denmark Street, London, UK (in-store)
- Sep. 20 / Fighting Cocks, Kingston, UK (Banquet Records out-store)
- Oct. 10 / Amphitheater, Bremen, Germany
- Oct. 13 / Doornroosje, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Oct. 14 / Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Oct. 15 / Tolhuistuin Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Oct. 16 / Stockholm Jazz Fest, Stockholm, Sweden
- Oct. 17 / Nefertiti, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Oct. 20 / La Nau, Barcelona, Spain
- Oct. 21 / Villanos Del Jazz, Madrid, Spain
- Oct. 22 / Riquela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Oct. 24 / Santeria, Milan, Italy
- Oct. 25 / Jazz and Wine Festival, Cormons, Italy
- Nov. 6 / Kino Šiška, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Nov. 19 / Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK
- Nov. 20 / O2 Academy, Oxford, UK
- Nov. 21 / Esquires, Bedford, UK
- Nov. 24 / Epic Studios, Norwich, UK
- Nov. 25 / Junction, Cambridge, UK
- Nov. 26 / The Globe, Cardiff, UK
- Jan. 28, 2027 / Barrowlands, Glasgow, UK
North America
- Jan. 22, 2027 / Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY, USA
