Quinton Barnes opens straight into the vocals on 'THE KIDS KILLED FREE JAZZ' with no introduction or easing in. The title track moves through an offbeat blend of experimental jazz, hip-hop and club influences, pairing playful, left-field production with an unpredictable arrangement. The accompanying ensemble brings together alto saxophone, electric guitar, violin, bass clarinet and oud, creating an eclectic backdrop for Quinton's reflections on karma, ancestral wisdom and resilience, with references sitting alongside a wider disillusionment with the status quo. There's a constant tension between the track's playful character and its heavier subject matter, before a trumpet gradually fades into silence towards the end, almost as though the jazz itself is being ushered away. The single introduces an intriguing new chapter for the Montreal based artist, as the title track for the album arriving in February.