Aug 26, 2024
Bullion, whose real name is Nathan Jenkins, is a producer and songwriter from London. I first came across him in 2020 through his EP We Had A Good Time released on his own label, Deek Recordings. The track Hula was, and still is, one of my all-time favorites. It was also why it was among the song selections they played at my wedding ceremony.
Bullion himself describes his music as “Pop, not slop.” To understand what exactly that means and where he draws his inspiration from, you can check out the excellent playlist of the same name, which now features nearly a thousand tracks from various genres. Whenever I want to listen to something new but don’t want to spend hours searching, I know I’ll always find something intriguing there.
Personally, I enjoy electronic albums with a pop flair. When I want to listen to an album, I’m looking for songs rather than just tracks, and this album fulfills that perfectly. From the first track, I knew it was something I’d revisit multiple times. Last year, it was an album by a.s.o., and this year, Affection is the clear favorite. It features 12 tracks with a total runtime of 40 minutes. All the songs maintain a classic pop length of around three minutes. One of my favorites is definitely Cinch, though it’s unfortunately just over two minutes long—I definitely think it deserves more. The ideal tempo, pulsing arpeggios, and Nathan’s pleasant, wordless voice create a captivating blend.
Apart from three guest appearances, Nathan Jenkins handled all the other vocals and instruments on the album himself. In addition to his own work, he also produces and composes for other artists. He has several successes to his name, including work with Carly Rae Jepsen, Ben Howard, Nilüfer Yanya, and the breakthrough album by Avalon Emerson.
The album was released on April 25th by Ghostly International.
MR
