Name: The Betrayal
Brand: Enemy

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

WJLP52

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2023-09-22

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

4062548071467

Total Cap

Black LP

WJLP52X

Pink

Marbled Pink

Extended format: Yes

4062548071566

Pink LP

WJCD52

4062548071474

Artist

Enemy

Genre GB

Jazz

Label GB

We Jazz

We Jazz is a Helsinki-based label that was founded in 2016 by Matti Nives. Known for their association with the annual We Jazz Festival in Helsinki, this label has been making waves in the music industry. In 2019, they expanded their reach by opening a record store in Helsinki.

With a focus on jazz and experimental music, We Jazz showcases talented artists from around the world. Their dedication to promoting unique and innovative sounds has earned them a reputation as an authoritative voice in the industry.

Whether you're a jazz enthusiast or simply appreciate good music, We Jazz offers an impressive selection of albums that will captivate your senses. Explore their collection and discover *hidden gems* that will take your musical journey to new heights.

Newest Listed Items

Enemy, the trio of drummer James Maddren, pianist Kit Downes and bassist Petter Eldh make their We Jazz Records debut with their third album The Betrayal. After their self-titled debut (Edition, 2018) and the follow up (Vermillion, ECM 2022), the explosive yet lyrical trio is seeking new directions with the 12-track new record, arguably their strongest yet.

The Betrayal consists of all original material penned by Downes and Eldh. It's an album of "purposeful contradictions and a shedding of skin", a studio recording recorded within the scope of a single day, edited, produced and mixed by the band themselves. In their own words, the band "doesn't really rehearse, playing a lot live, taking risks, always writing new music, always playing as fresh as possible", and evolving in the process.

Careful listeners will quickly notice how different from Vermillion the new album is. Where once was echo and reverb, is now rhythmic intensity and a more compact sense of sound. The band sounds closer, their movement seems more focused. If Enemy would have a motto, it would be "no risk, no fun". True to this, The Betrayal has its sudden twists and turns, yet the trio never loses sight of what makes the music theirs. It wouldn't be fair to call them "experimental", at least for the sake of using such a vague word, but they do experiment, having fun while at it. Listen to the three albums in one serving and you'll surely hear many directions in music being suggested, tried out, perfected, thrown out, and taken into processing again. You can also hear it within a single track at times.

While being on the move at all times, they have a real "swing" in their sound, and there's always a bigger idea for the music than just playing it, whatever it might be at any given moment. Their music is natural, and why not, for it's based on long-time collaboration and friendship.

As Kit Downes once said: "Whatever the situation is, I'm always looking forward to meeting up with Petter and James again, discussing everything from W.G. Sebald, to Eels, to Mad Max (Fury Road) to East Croydon." 

The Betrayal

Music GB

Discover The Betrayal by Enemy, the explosive yet lyrical trio. This 12-track album, their strongest yet, is filled with purposeful contradictions and a shedding of skin. Released by We Jazz Records.