Would appear to be jazz. by Bolden.

Emerging from the UK’s underground jazz house scene, Reuben Barrett and Catherine Rannus make up Bolden., a duo whose multi-instrumental prowess and genre-blurring sound are redefining what modern jazz can be. Their latest single, ‘Where are our voices.’, is a playful yet reflective meditation on being heard, born from a late-night recording accident that saw a missing WhatsApp voice note transform into the track’s hook.

“It started as a happy accident,” Catherine explains. “We accidentally recorded some voice parts we loved, but later they disappeared. Over WhatsApp, I asked Reuben, ‘Where are our voices?’ and that question became the title and part of the final track.” The song’s lush instrumentation, jazz textures, and electronic rhythms showcase Bolden.’s signature blend of improvisational freedom and dancefloor energy.

Since forming in 2024, the duo has quickly become one of the UK’s most talked-about acts, amassing millions of streams, over a million monthly Spotify listeners, and editorial playlist placements including New Music Friday UK, Jazz UK, and Jazz House. Live, Bolden. is a whirlwind of saxophone, flute, drums, guitar, keys, and vocals, with each performance evolving in real time. Their headline tour for the debut album Would appear to be jazz. kicks off September 21 in Berlin and spans Europe and North America, including sold-out dates in Toronto and Los Angeles.

The album itself is a conceptual playground, taking its name from a line in Catherine’s university dissertation on gender in music and stretching the idea of jazz beyond traditional boundaries. With tracks that are both playful and profound, Bolden. continue to honour the improvisational spirit of their namesake, jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden, while carving a distinctly modern path.