Hears to the Future

Album Review

Intended as a stepping stone between 1998's Viewpoints and the much-vaunted though sadly unreleased Milestones collaborative project with Miles Copeland, Hears to the Future sees modern urban jazzman Tony Bowes return to his roots in this 36-minute, eight-track mini-album. This switch to the next level doesn't come easy, with the material losing its footing on a few occasions, whether it's the lowbrow house that haunts "Cycle II" or the ill-advised return to junglism in "Suburbs," but the vocal track with Danoyd and accompanying slow-motion hip-hop instrumentals with Copeland are worth the asking price alone with the shuddering "Two Thousand Moments" or the Bowie edges that creep around the reverbed swells of the immaculate "Faith and Reason" — nothing short of breathtaking.