Usmansax Carried China’s Sense of Peace into UK Sax Soul with ‘Hépíng’ –

Eastern mindfulness meets UK talent through the sax lines in the standout single Hépíng, (Mandarin for peace), by one of the most promising professional saxists on our shores, Usmansax. Embodying the sense of stillness found during time spent in China, Usmansax allows his music to become a gift of tranquillity to his listeners, turning the saxophone into a vessel for memory, place and inner balance.

Rich with accordance, soul and cultural wisdom, the release carries more vitality than a standard easy-listening or ambient piece. There is a sense of aliveness inside the arrangement as the artist and educator sprinkles in notes of funk through the basslines, 80s RnB through the twilight of the synths and an aura which glows throughout the production. Yet nothing tempers the lush escape of East meets West equanimity.

UK-based saxophonist and educator Usman Ibrahim, performing as Usmansax, conceived Hépíng during time spent in China before fully revamping the track for its global release. That context is the centre point of the single, the themes that radiate through it are never carried as decorative concepts, they are graciously learned, lived in, and offered back through tone. Hépíng holds connection in the phrasing, letting the listener feel how a place can stay inside the body long after leaving it.

Hépíng is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast