Jardín
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Album Summary
Gabriel Garzón-Montano dropped 'Jardín' in 2017 on the venerable Stones Throw Records, that Los Angeles home for the adventurous and the soulful, and baby, this young Colombian-American artist brought something genuinely special to the table. Garzón-Montano handled the bulk of the creative work himself — writing, producing, and performing across this lush ten-track offering — crafting a sound that felt like it was grown in some warm, twilight garden where R&B, funk, and something altogether more intimate all took root together. Released to a world that was just beginning to catch up with what this man was capable of, 'Jardín' arrived as a proper full-length statement after years of Garzón-Montano quietly building his reputation among those who knew.
Reception
- Critical response to 'Jardín' was warmly appreciative, with music press recognizing Garzón-Montano as a singular and deeply personal voice in contemporary soul and R&B.
- The album helped solidify his standing as one of the more distinctive artists in Stones Throw's eclectic roster, earning him a dedicated and growing audience beyond the underground circles that had followed him earlier.
- Reviewers frequently highlighted the album's intimate, hand-crafted quality as a distinguishing strength in a crowded Neo Soul landscape.
Significance
- Jardín stands as a defining document of late 2010s Neo Soul — a reminder that the genre still had room for genuine idiosyncrasy and personal vision, far from the polished mainstream.
- Garzón-Montano's Colombian heritage and multicultural upbringing infuse the album with a cross-cultural warmth that quietly expanded what contemporary R&B could sound and feel like.
- The album cemented Stones Throw Records' continued relevance as a label willing to nurture deeply individualistic Black and Brown artistic voices in the soul and funk tradition.
Tracklist
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A1 Trial —
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A2 Sour Mango —
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A3 Fruitflies —
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A4 The Game —
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A5 Long Ears —
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B1 Crawl —
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B2 Bombo Fabrika —
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B3 Cantiga —
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B4 My Balloon —
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B5 Lullaby —
Artist Details
Born from the rich soil where neo soul and contemporary R&B intertwine, Gabriel Garzón-Montano emerged from Europe as a singular creative force, finding his spiritual home on the storied Stones Throw Records imprint. This cat brings a deeply personal and lush sonic sensibility to his craft, weaving together the warmth of classic soul traditions with a thoroughly modern emotional palette. His music moves like a slow, late-night groove — the kind that gets underneath your skin and stays there long after the needle lifts.
