Sparklmami - In This Body (2026 Verve Records Vinyl LP)

Sparklmami - In This Body | Vinyl LP - 2026 Verve Records / Slowplay (00199957417099)

• Debut album on Verve Records, five years in the making from Texas-raised, Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist Ariella Granados
• Bilingual, genre-crossing jazz, threading 1970s Brazilian jazz, Mexican bolero, funk and experimental soul across nine tracks sung in English and Spanish
• Recorded largely in single takes with a tight band led by executive producers Eddie Burns and William Corduroy, plus guest contributions from Nico Segal (The Social Experiment) and Alex Santilli (Thee Sacred Souls) 

Sparklmami's debut opens with a voice purring an invitation into her own radio station, then drops you straight into "No Te Vayas", a warm collision of jazz and funk that sets the tone for the whole record. Ariella Granados grew up in Bryan, Texas, singing in church and absorbing boleros at family gatherings before moving to Chicago in 2014 to study art. That upbringing is all over In This Body. The Spanish-language tracks ("Quisiera", "No Te Vayas", "Penso En Voce") draw on the same melodic vocabulary as the boleros she grew up around, while the English-language material leans into jazz-funk territory closer to Donald Byrd or Roy Ayers. "Fajas" is a standout, a personal reckoning with her estranged father she reconnected with in 2023. At nine tracks and 24 minutes, nothing outstays its welcome.

The record was executive produced by Eddie Burns (a Frank Ocean collaborator) and William Corduroy, who also play drums and bass respectively. Alec Trickett handles percussion, Josh Jessen covers keys and synths, and Kenneth Leftridge Jr. rounds out the core band. Guest spots from Nico Segal, Alex Santilli of Thee Sacred Souls, and French musician Raphael Olivier add further colour without cluttering the mix. Much of the album was tracked in single takes, and that looseness comes through in the best way.

This is the standard European black vinyl pressing on Verve, co-released with LA boutique label Slowplay. A strong debut from an artist pulling together a lot of threads without ever sounding forced.