'Tarifa' is the second full-length album from the project of Londoner Josh Edwards following his 2020 debut 'On the Other Side' which has since seen over 130 million streams and led to tours with Jose Gonzalez and Gregory Alan Isakov as well as hugely popular world tours of his own, including a sold-out night at London's famous Union Chapel.
Blanco White's new album, 'Tarifa,' was predominantly written in the town of Tarifa in southern Spain. Josh, the artist, collaborated with percussionist Pilo Adami, co-producing most of the record. Nathan Jenkins, also known as Bullion, contributed additional production in London during the final stages. The album was recorded between Tarifa and Blanco White's home studio in London, using a mobile recording rig.
The title track, 'Tarifa,' was the first single to emerge from the album's writing sessions in Spain, inspired by the town's climate and energy. The song features electronic and organic elements, with Josh's vocals and charango playing at the forefront.
"I booked the trip [to Tarifa] because I had begun to feel more confident in my body's ability to work intensely on music again after a nerve and chronic pain condition had stopped me from playing and recording altogether. Although I still had symptoms during that time, my pain levels had improved a lot from where they had been in the previous few years, and I wanted to begin pushing myself to see how my body would react", Edwards explained.
Combined with a daily routine of swimming in the Atlantic and the excitement of writing again, the trip became instrumental in his ongoing recovery: "I was able to work with an intensity that surprised me," Edwards recalls. "I felt able to really lose myself in the process of songwriting again for the first time in years, something that is so important when you are channelling creativity and exploring your subconscious for ideas."
The album straddles genres, combining dream pop elements with organic instrumentation and percussion. It draws inspiration from artists like Sufjan Stevens and Feist, with the charango and ronroco remaining central to Blanco White's sound, and places a strong focus on rhythm, with syncopation and swing at the heart of its identity.
'Tarifa' is rooted in resilience, recovery, and relief, exploring new worlds and personal growth.
