A vocalist, pianist and composer from South London, Ashley Henry has enjoyed the company of Jean Toussaint and Robert Glasper on stage. The follow-up to his buzzy album debut Beautiful Vinyl Hunter (2019), Henry is due to release EP My Voice in May this year. After releasing the title track last year, he trails the EP with second single ‘Melanin’, which Henry explains is about “finding someone or something that’s a refuge from taking that wrong or easy path.” He continues: “Listening to it feels like a safe space. I wrote it as a certainty of belonging that’s accessible no matter where we are. Melanin is my celebration of beauty, love and black futurity. The track pays homage to women always trying to provide a safe space for their families and through their culture, and to the safe spaces I’ve found in my life”. ‘Melanin’ showcases Henry’s predilection for a neo-soul groove held together with jazzy instrumentation. Flautist James Massiah, bassist Abel Addington, drummer Myele Manzanza, and guitarist Ed Riches create an ambient soundscape around Henry’s vocals and piano.