Ships Of The Pharaohs Unveil Jazz-Rooted Single ‘Sun Is Rising’

What began as a single set at We Out Here Festival’s Touching Bass showcase has quietly solidified into a working band. Ships Of The Pharaohs return with ‘Sun Is Rising’, a release that carries the warmth of its midsummer timing without tipping into comfort zone.

Producer Last Nubian anchors the group, drawing on a lineage that includes releases on CoOp Presents and Eglo Records. The line-up is rounded out by vocalist Achanté, keyboardist Goldbar and bassist Dougan, but on this single they cede the lead vocal to Red Bird. Her phrasing threads through a structure built on sharp 140bpm drums and elastic jazz-inflected keys, pulling the track away from straightforward dancefloor formula.

Issued by First Word Records, ‘Sun Is Rising’ finds its weight in restraint. The rhythmic bed is steady, almost hypnotic, while the harmonic choices keep shifting slightly — there’s no big drop or climax, just a deliberate, frictionless motion. It’s a sound that feels connected to broken beat’s quieter corners, but without the nostalgia. Ships Of The Pharaohs aren’t reviving a format; they’re using an established vocabulary to build something that fits their own tempo.