Formed in the spring of 2020, Hot Mustard is the recording duo of producer Jack Powell (guitar, keys, bells, and whistles) and Nick Carusos (bass,) whose dynamic low-end anchors the project. Powell’s production style combines his love of assemblage art and collage into his musical approach in which improvised sessions are recorded and then chopped and assembled into compositions. These compositions are then passed off to Jordan Mclean (Antibalas), who writes brass parts and records them with Dave ‘Smoota” Smith (TV on the Radio) in Brooklyn, NY, before heading back to South Carolina to be molded into final form by Powell, often incorporating sessions with local musicians and collaborators who work remotely. The finished pieces are then released with animated collages by Powell, whose visual art studio/moniker is Opus Thimble.
Much like the colorful characters constructed for the music video, Hot Mustard’s “Birdwatcher” single is brimming with imaginative whimsy. Despite the deep baritones of the horns and subtly thudding drum patterns, there is an airy feel to the tune’s density. Hot Mustard brings jazz fusion tropes to modern times by emphasizing the looseness of the genre. There are broad strokes of psychedelia that, when seen up close, unveil a universe of groovy funk, simplistic jazz, and moody indie rock. Whichever label you want to assign to “Birdwatcher,” we can all agree that it is a stunning portrait of fearless artistry. The way their melodies maneuver around the sturdy drums evokes the feeling of stepping into a butterfly sanctuary as you marvel at the fluttering technicolored creatures. While the tune is ethereal, Hot Mustard employs a nuanced familiarity to anchor their lofty visions to earth. This enticing sonic conflict is at the heart of “Birdwatcher.” By trusting their lofty visions and piecing them together via twirling brass and thick bass lines, Hot Mustard carves a unique lane in modern music with an all-encompassing approach that builds a world for the listener to get lost in.
“Of all the systems that connect us, art and music have consistently proved to be the most meaningful and life-enhancing for me,” explains Powell. “Hot Mustard’s means of connectivity has been the marriage of unique and dynamic voices through the art of recording. Interpreting these recordings into visual stories has added another layer of connectivity and more opportunity for shared experiences.”
