The smooth, provocative vocal delivery of Jackson Lundy pairs seamlessly with the modernist jazz and production of Brasstracks. A collaboration meant to be, 9 to 5 makes clean work of neo-soul’s heavily jazz influenced spectrum, creating equal space for the New York City songwriter and his brace of local instrumental compatriots to share the single’s stage. With an instrumental pre-chorus as evocative and telling as Lundy’s verse and hook, the entire track flows together as if the three artists have long worked as a collaborative group. Who knows, maybe there will be more to come from them in the future.

 

In the meantime, 9 to 5 is a sultry, boundary-shattering track more of an afterhours burner than its name would lead to believe. It’s emotional reach and mainstream appeal couldn’t have existed in the modern era until all to recently when jazz vocalism and neo-soul have continued to garner international attention, but it’s exactly the kind of track to continue neo-soul and modern jazz’s expansion into the limelight.