Clown Core "Toilet" (2018)

 

 

Predecessor to a similarly structured Van, Toilet's waning novelty grounds its impact, having listened Van prior. Elapsing from crunching bursts of garbled Grindcore mania into esoteric Jazz and beyond, the blaring toy horn, jolted timing stunts and frenzied ghoulish growls sadly fall short. On a joke turning stale, the moments of musical magic shy from a curious wonderment achieved in its successor. The many pivots into bass drum grooves or scenic Smooth Jazz interludes have charm but lack a maturity.

Toilet, possibly recorded in a porta-loo, reeks of youthful adventure. A bold plunge into a vision, mostly realized but leaning on its own oddities too much. Jarring synth noises and unhinged blast beats drop all to frequently, the counteracting moments of gratification only mediocre. Although I have hindsight tainting my perspective, it really feels as if Van is a rework of this piece, going back to the architecture for a redo.

Rating: 4/10

Clown Core "Van" (2020)

 

Sudden bursts of paranoid Cybergrind madness and muddled demonic screams on its opening pair of tracks may paint a crude, unhinged impression of these nightmare-fuel circus buffoons. Setting their intentional ugly, hellish jokester veneers aside, this anonymous Clown Core duo splice spicy Saxophone leads and lively, animated Jazz Fusion ideals between bizarre rhythmic renditions and comical timing antics.

Early on the pair toy with foolish bicycle horn jives, an oddity to spin in your musical favor. Progressing, stiff toned drum and snare grooves rattle out keen rhythmic wonders, driving the record along. Freakish synth machinations accompany, often in syncopation with the drums, these eerie, ghoulish tones lurch as Sax melodies take focus. A subtly unsettled soulful interludes finds home too, among its many anomalies.

Existence culminates all its elements to play a twisted descent, erupting mid-way to double down on its clownish madness for a peculiar ending. End then indulges us in smoky ambience on a roomy soft piano piece, only to pivot yet again as we embark on a cheesy, upbeat 80s daytime TV Show melodic romp. Somehow... it makes sense?

Van, possibly recorded live inside a van, is a musical outlier that just works. Twisting many strange ideas to its will, the seventeen minute ride still feels fresh after many spins. Its a gratifying experience, even if delivered through a distorted haze of strangeness, its grooves and melodies come through with magnetism, forging a unique and baffling realm to call its own, fit to entertain oneself with its odd curiosities.

Rating: 7/10

Potatohead People "Eat Your Heart Out" (2024)

 

A snug fit for rising temperatures hitting us here in England, Eat Your Heart Out has been the soundtrack to my morning walks drenched in glorious summer sun. Jazz Hop duo Potatohead People, refine their tone with a focus on soulful moods and mellow croons, a classy vibe elevated greatly by subtle Funk baselines. They often bustle and bruise with character, bolstering rather subdued Hip Hop beats. Steady tempos arrange cushy kicks, snappy claps and reverberated snares with a breezy softness, grooving rhythms that shy away from becoming the focal point.

 Unlike prior records, only two of its eleven cuts are instrumentals. On both, the lead tones down any individual charisma, a step away from the expressive Jazz Fusion solos like heard before. This puts a notable emphasis on its expanded array of guests, who drop raps and rhymes along with some smooth singing in apt spots. Familiar names return, along with a surprise big hitter from the 90s, Redman.

None of them define the record with any remarkable lyrics, nor do any instrumentals drop illuminating melodies. Without peaks or valleys, the whole records demeanor is a mellow, tranquil vibe. An endearing warmth to relax to, that puts all troubles aside. That's to say, despite having a stellar resonance, nothing deviated from its baseline.

Only Paradise stood apart. With a dreamy shift in tone and sly tropical flavor, shimmering guitars and glistening synths give it a special touch when washed in this glossy reverb. The whole track feels plucked from an 80s fever dream, with Diamond Cafe's vocal performance reminiscent of Michael Jackson's classic high tenor. All in all a warm spin from start to end, full of good vibes but lacking a spark to make it special.

Rating: 6/10

Plini "Mirage" (2023)

 

Pure joy! With no complaints and no surprises, Plini returns on another triumphant roar of Jazzy, melodic, Progressive Metal. Again, five finely curated tracks swell with colorful creativity. His distinct style as a lead guitarist remains firmly intact. Ever exciting and exuberant, a perpetual craft of inspired music pours fourth from its intensities. From slabs of rhythmic Djent groove, to caressed calms of soothing tunes, his music navigates its peaks and valleys masterfully, crooning with fond luminosity.

Mirage has left me lacking words not uttered before. Plini is an artist firmly rooted on intrinsic motivations, servicing the gods of creativity with respect. Every second of this album feels so expressive and intentional, as does most of what came before. For the first time I didn't sense new terrain. Its awe a familiar one, joyous, bright and uplifting yet a familiar friend. I will certainly enjoy this level of output for time to come but mirage leaves me curious as to if this artist has new ideas yet to unearth.

Rating: 7/10

Potatohead People "Mellow Fantasy" (2020)

Mellow Fantasy, a breezy affair of performative Jazz Hop. Slick in design and execution, the Jazz Fusion adjacent instrumental artistry of this dynamic duo indulges in soft affable tunefulness. One can "tune in and tune out", an effortless listen. A feathery glow blows in the winds of every track, a cushy soothing groove, infusing dauntless jives within an airy carefree stride, letting its plentiful good vibes flow forth.

Hidden Levels breaks its relaxed stride. Injecting a quirky baseline, its harder bass kick thump gets rocking with the arrival of infectious claps. Forrest Mortifee illuminates this track with a colorful timid tenderness in voice, swaying on the songs texture with a breathy performance reminiscent of Hiatus Kaiyote's Nal Palm. The theme returns twice with both Bunnie and Kendra Dias bringing 90s R&B voices to the fold.

This highlights the albums structure, alternating collaborations with rapers and singers between shorter instrumental cuts. This time, less emphasis is placed on lead instruments, serving more as a slice of cool atmosphere between its voiced chops. Although I missed this dexterous dazzle of melodic manifestation, the bigger picture is a consistent vibe, nailed exquisitely. All pieces present fit this pleasant puzzle.

Rating: 7/10

Potatohead People "Nick & Astro's Guide To The Galaxy" (2018)

 

 Reveling in the merits of predecessor Big Luxury, the Potatohead People duo, Nick Wisdom and Astrological, return with another Jazz Hop indulgence. Again, the quality of compositions on display set it apart from expectant groovy indulgences of the genre. Sung choruses, guest rap verses and instrument solos break up the looped foundations. The beats are class, slick jazzy moods frequently leaning into G-Funk and dreamy detours as spurts of soft instrumentation and reverb ups the indulgence.

Last outing, guest verses and lyrics illuminated the runtime. This time, its instrumental cuts grab attention as the songs drift with non linear feeling. The core rhythms stand firm but around them breezy Sax solos, dreamy acoustic guitar licks and Jazz Fusion keyboard tones wrap the groove in organic expression. Especially captivating is the closer Rituals. Its eclectic pull of glitched vocals, gritty saw bass and House pianos acts as a closing novelty you could imagine fitting snugly on a 90s Trip Hop record.

Ultimately, its not too dissimilar a project with a similar flow. The pair lean into a more diverse source of inspirations which they wield to fit their mold. The result tips the scales as its interesting assembly of sounds gets to flourish in the spotlight. The beats built for rhymes come rigid and stiff in contrast. The raps contributed by guests Illa J and the like, have less of an impact than before. Either way, its another quality Jazz Hop craft to pluck out some personal favorites from, that I'm sure will last with time.

Rating: 7/10

Potatohead People "Big Luxury" (2015)

 

 Cut from the cloth of its era, here lies a Jazz Hop record with distinction. Big Luxury stands apart among a then blossoming scene. Although only catching it recently, an ear is turned for this favored niche. With uplifted spirit and endearing warmth, the duo behind these snappy beats conjure classic feel-good vibes reminiscent of Summer Time and other Hip Hop party hits. Its pacing and staying power arrives through the aid of soulful vocals and conscious Raps, complimenting these infectious grooves.

With a sensible touch, the assembly of percussion, samples and fine instrumentation simplifies in the presence of human voices. On the flip-side, these instrumentals lean into Jazz Fusion ideals with grooving lead melodies to dazzle and delight. Blue Charms echos charisma heard before with Plini, high praise no doubt. This layer of personality above the well executed beats is where the magic lies as a unique Jazz Hop adventure is forged through gorgeous instrument aesthetics crooning on the vibe.

There it is in a nutshell, a brief twenty eight minutes journeying through the traditions of rhyme and rhythm, gracefully detouring to an adjacent sound and doing it with class. Jazzy samples over drum arrangements has been saturated with time but this duo had something deeper to bring to the table. Further exploration is required!

Rating: 7/10

Coprofago "Genesis 22" (2022)

 

With an apatite for this early breed of Djent adjacent Progressive Metal, my hopeful searches of a scene rummaged through before exposed last years release of Genesis 22. Although a remaster of the original Genesis, released twenty years prior, its been a pleasant surprise. I've covered Coprofago before, much of whats been said applies again to this earlier music, including welcome similarities with pioneers Meshuggah.

The modern aesthetic and marvelous production had me questioning my own memory. Familiarity was a shadowy affair, echos of extremities enjoyed decades ago yet audio so fresh. Restored from original recordings, the re-amping of instruments is its true marvel. In comparison to original recordings, these songs take on a new identity beyond its harsh origins. The original mix was a noise can, thin and raspy. Clicky drums, rumbling bass, thin vocals, all adorned by clunky guitar distortions.

The progressive fusion of Synth, Jazz and Death Metal under odd time signatures and meandering song structures was challenging enough. Hard to love yet made harder by its raw packaging. Its one of the most impressive restorations I've ever heard. It has quite frankly revitalized a sound once exhausted and made it interesting again.

The music of Genesis itself is a varied beast, such a wild ride of unorthodox riffs and tricky arrangements, its often hit or miss. Extremities tandem with opposites as screams and deafening chugs suddenly melt into warm colorful lounge energy. Favorites will get selected among duds, as sometimes the less favorable ideas get stacked. Chaos and La Idea De Borde are my picks. Much fun for a fan of this old band!

Rating: 6/10

Maurice Brown "The Mood" (2017)

The Mood, an apt name for a record that can impose its own upon one so snugly. This forth outing of veteran Maurice Brown, composer, voice and Trumpeter, bestows itself so elegantly. The soft swaying swagger of Smooth Jazz. Extended aesthetic pallets akin to Jazz Fusion. A subtle rhythmic groove fond of Jazz Hop. Maurice creates a modern, relaxing take on the classics. Fleshed out with occasional vibrant verses by himself and guest rappers, they somehow cut the instrumental flow perfectly with the sudden arrival of deep, thought provoking lyrics. The silence between barely yearns for more, despite the expressive words and chemistry they adorn.

Past its warm welcoming open cuts that set a firm groundwork, the album moves into a couple of Avant-Garde leaning songs. Its percussion busying and with dexterous, dissonant leaning leads emerging, it end up rustling the feathers of its slick persona. Upon finding a way back with Capricorn Rising, the musical themes and key melodies seem to lack the initial dazzle that captivated ones attention. Despite still possessing an easy charm, loungy vibes and full of good mood, It seems a step lower in energy.

Destination Hope, the album closer, rekindles that early magic. Bringing on a fine R&B singer, the Jazz hybrid template finds another soothing chemistry as Chris Turner swoons in to the forefront. Returning again with an epic, softly reverberated chorus. The message is strong and sweet, the melodies croon again and then a spoken word, half rap cadence, from J Ivy blossoms briefly as a fond unity is achieved. The Mood is a hard record to knock. Despite delivering such delightful magic upon the way, it falls short of a classic album experience despite its remarkable impressions.

Rating: 7/10

Polyphia "Remember That You Will Die" (2022)

 

Last I heard of then Texans Polyphia, they were lumped in a then emerging Djent camp. Still echoing time signature grooves and the guitar styling of the scene, a clear evolution beyond it has served them well. Now they perform a smart, sophisticated game. Rocking jazzy, Progressive arrangements and mixing what would often be snubbed as technical "guitar nerd" music with Pop sensibilities. It commands ones attention, the two often opposed ideals meld invitingly when this quartet perform.

With an intricate approach, dazzling technicality and performative tenacity, crafty compositions of dexterous notations gleam with satisfying melody atop sharp percussive rhythms. A simpler key focus always captures ones attention while around it a whirl of showmanship embellishes an inviting idea into a wild ride of tricky performative art. Bass guitars slap and pluck away with impressive precision. Alongside, a three armed drummed who fleshes out tight fills and jolted hi-hat rhythms between electronic drums that snap and kick with a modern punchy brightness.

The records opening songs focus on the instrumental aspect with guests bringing pianos and horns to the mix. With ABC the focus shifts as quest vocalists and rappers really sell the pop appeal. Its a warm fusion, where the band revolve around that focal simplicity their friends bring. It gives the album another dimension to dip in and out of, keeping a fresh flow. Interestingly its most memorable moments are birthed from the catchy hooks guests bring. Not a surprise if you think about it. These things do tend to trump the incredible gifted abilities they have as musicians. Steve Vai signing off on the album closer is a real testament to their accomplishments as musicians.

Rating: 7/10

The Comet Is Coming "Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam" (2022)

 

Obnoxious rhythmic fluctuations take lead, the Saxophone sits central, a lone expressive voice articulating simple expressions over a surreal synth landscape of cosmic majesty. With Metal adjacent syncopation, the pulsing of minimal notes sways in brief repetitions. Looped hooks and grooves groan in its textural might. Voiced like sequences of chorus lyrics, they bounce and chime off the lavish densities rumbling below, a contrast that constrains its fluttering presence to a narrow linear path. Sadly, its a weak spot. As the record traverses its modest temporal trajectory, the blunt Sax expressions become monotonous and grating. Although exploring tonality and envelope, too often do the short phrases unleashed grind down into a rigid form.

 Casting a lengthy shadow over its complimentary backing section, the wild tapestry of electronics and shuffling percussive arrangements play second fiddle, despite being superior. With an attentive ear, a spectacular array of astral events emerges. Unfolding with shimmering synths and lively drum patterns, the latter jostles with airy ambience and dynamic unraveling of waveform leads. On occasion they gush and ooze in delightful spectacles of musical chemistry. Its mostly heard within a bold string of strong opening songs. As they pass, so to does that spacey wondrous charm. Retreating into routine, unimpressed ideas dominate, it drops off sharp, sparks fading.

Transforming into an uneventful jam session, Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam descends into itself. Brief arrangements conjure aesthetic curiosity but direction, progression and creativity seems simply lost. Such a shift from the lively magic it opened with seems sudden around the forth track or so. It rarely returns and thus leaves a sour taste in ones mouth, or ears. Trimmed to a brief EP, this would have been fantastical fruit. Unfortunately, the majority of the crop yield isn't up to scratch and thus leaves much to be desired. The Comet Is Coming are still one to watch with a unique musical arrangement however they have shown the best and worst of themselves here.

Rating: 4/10

Hiatus Kaiyote "Mood Valiant" (2021)

 

Six years out from Choose Your Weapon, the Australian outfit Hiatus Kaiyote return with twelve classy cuts of modern, creative Jazz Rock to move, sooth and groove the soul! In my mind their tone, composure and aesthetics have barely budged yet something seems seductively easy and relaxing on Mood Valiant. With an emphasis on soulful vibes and vivacious singing from Nai Palm, the music often swoons and croons into eruptions of energy guided by lively percussion rhythmic power. As such the music comes with moments, gentle rivers of warm persuasion suddenly surging with its meaning as a bend in the stream swerves, relinquishing itself to the current. Not all of the record fits this stride, towards its conclusion a couple of songs linger in moody places, drifting through dreary moods, flailing a brush of color on route.

The chemistry is wonderful as one might expect from this group. Its Nai's words that frequently arises as a poetic peak to the crafty instrumentals. With lyrics being a weak point for me, her repeated hooks dig their claws in chiming of the music with thought provoking sentiments and questions to give context to the musical direction. My favorite moments often came with the mustering surges mentioned before. Another niche observation that came with my preferences were keen druming grooves finding a sweet snare kick groove to bring some passages near to a Jazz Hop equivalent. Ultimately Mood Valiant is a very stylish record, modernizing some older values with courage and passion and forging a warm environment to slip into in the process.

Rating: 7/10

Plini "Impulse Voices" (2020)

 

 

As one to keep an eye on, news of another Plini record could only bring joy. Over the years this Australian guitarist has steadily brewed an exceptional sound of serine, beautified Progressive Metal. Embellished by dazzlingly colorful instruments its both aesthetically indulgent as it is musically deep. Impulse Voices, his sophomore record, follows up on the highly praised Handmade Cities of four years ago. I've relished in the anticipation of this one as Plini's philosophy is about taking time to cultivate the best of his creativity for our pleasure. With eight tracks just shy of forty minutes, its a rich experience that I've steadily grown to know and love. Each spin yields a new insights as one picks apart its many elements, while growing to love these songs. Its easy to enjoy from the offset but providing a lasting magic.

 

Not to dissimilar from what we have become accustom too, the fruits from a labor of love blossom again with every moment feeling cared over. Dazzling melodic guitars swoon, cruising on soft winds with sweetly elasticated grooves rustling up from below to add a moments energy to this warm and inviting music. The instruments are colorful and bright, an unending expression gushing forth from the lead guitar that sings its glory over much of the music. Subtle synths chime too, swaying with the breezy motion, swelling with the tides of change, adding unusual aesthetic persuasions in places, see the rave synth rise and fall on Perfume towards its conclusion.

In its opening half everything feels just right. Papelillo delivers a wonderful swell of heaviness at its ending. The current of djenty groove lurks and prowls throughout the song but its climax lunges into a remarkably dark yet approachable conclusion that glosses up the gritty metallic techniques of old. Its in the second half that something notable emerges. Unsurprisingly yet possibly a link I've overlooked on previous records, a strong Jazz Fusion vibe opens in a handful of moments, the guitars get stripped away, the keys take lead, expressing dexterous melodies with a bolder tone giving it a notable contrast to the usual array of subtlety playing with volume and intensity.

A saxophone solo on Pan further embellishes this Jazz link, a lovely, fitting climatic moment exchanged against one of the record best guitar solos. However in those less seamless keyboard switches it seems the cohesion is dialed down a touch. Experiments toying with space and syncopated silences towards the end of Ona / 1154 carries a little friction too. These are hardly blemishes though, Impulse Voices is an indulgence from an artist in their stride. Stunning music, beautifully produced with drummer Chris Allison seeming like a perfect fit to bring as much magically intrigue to the percussion as Plini does to these scenic songs of melodic fondness. Simply wonderful.

 Rating: 9/10

Stevie Wonder "Innervisions" (1973)

A name known the world over in music, but one I had never come acquainted with until now. Stevie was a veteran at this point, a Jazz musician from an era where records where pumped out yearly. Innervisions, his sixteenth, is often frequented by critics as a landmark album, making top lists and the like. Its a highly enjoyable record, loaded with melody and thoughtful compositions. Brilliant songwriting has appealing pop sensibilities between a depth of expansive instrumentation. Initially I was drawn to a subtle streak of Progressive Rock, Visions almost acting as an echo of King Crimson. The overlapping influences of Soul, Funk, Jazz and Rock at play created a point of comparison with some Jazz Fusion records I have enjoyed.

Another thread of influence unraveled. Stevie's voice had a remarkable resemblance to Micheal Jackson, the high pitch woos and cries an obvious characteristic of influence on the king of pop, as well as some of his higher ranged singing carrying a similar persona. His presence is subtlety remarkable. Perhaps it is the competition from the artful instrumentation that competes for attention. Golden Lady a fantastic example of powerful singing that isn't over pronounced or dialed up beyond necessity. His music is warm, inviting and the songs often grow in stature as one is drawn in.

As familiarity settled the themes of social struggle and black life in American became all too apparent. Living For The City tells tales of hard life and daily struggles. The seven minute march opens up with a scenic passage, voice actors and city sounds depict an encounter with corrupt cops. It had me pondering. What was the origin of such an concept incorporated into music? I first heard it on Straight Outta Compton and its become a common feature in Hip Hop musics. Maybe it has its roots here?

Stevie has it all on this record. His instrumentation is a vibrant tapestry of instruments in tandem, reveling in melody, chord arrangements arrive with pleasing simplicity yet offer a wealth of creativity as the Funk energy personifies the synths and instruments with a bold liveliness. It has me appreciating it more with each listen but I may be far from done with Innervisions. Some songs towards the back end don't appeal quite as much when approaching the ballad spectrum but there is a wealth of great music here I can't deny and its been a fantastic introduction to the legendary musician.

Favorite Tracks: Living For The City, Golden Lady, Higher Ground

Rating: 8/10

Coprofago "Unorthodox Creative Criteria" (2005)

 

The crudely named Coprofago are a Chilean band likened to Meshuggah, once discovered at a time before the Djent scene had blossomed and an inch for the Swede's new sound was present. With roots in the Technical Death Metal scene, an influence of meaty seven string guitars hammering out blunt, looping polymetered riffs make themselves known from the kick off. With alien guitar leads akin to Fredrick Thordendal and harsh, bleak screams similar to Jens Kidman its easy to see the influence and how fans could be comparative between the two bands.

As the album plays, its other influences start to reveal themselves. The keyboards illuminate another angle, Jazz Fusion and Progressive Rock styling bring an exploratory nature to the music, it provides relief to the brutal onslaught of chugging mechanical riffs and broadens the scope of sound to quite the musical adventure. Tracks like Isolated Through Multiplicity go off on thees tangents of colorful expression, outbursts led by the synths as exchanges in musical electricity between guitar and keyboards play in contrast to the metallic edge and grinding drums.

The synth tones are somewhat cheap and cheesy when given focus to their aesthetic. Yet the performance and composition fits so snugly into whats unfolding that its barely noticeable. The whole thing is a classy affair from talented musicians rattling of their skills into Jazzy constructs of intensity and indulgence as the music often sways between an aggressive temperament and something far more exploratory and emotional, in a mysterious sense as they often pluck at more existential strings.

One could almost separate these two strands that tend to work in parallel rather than find common ground. The swing between is often blunt and swift yet with that it finds a charm perhaps learned through familiarity as this record is one I've frequented over the fifteen years since its release. Its always been a pleasure and listening to it again, breaking down the components I find myself really appreciating this niche era of influence when Meshuggah's legacy first started to spread.

Rating: 8/10

Plini "Birds / Surfers" (2020)

Inspired by two accidental photographs of quite literally birds and surfers, forward thinking Australian multi instrumentalist Plini has delivered us with a pair interlude tracks. Both numbers clock in under two minutes but as the artists does with his main releases, Handmade Cities & Sunhead, so does this miniature record naturally possess quality over quantity. Its first half Birds toys with dense Post-Rock atmospheres with bright sombre melodies gleaming over soft synths and pattering percussive claps as a deep and gritty acoustic low string guitar plays with Djent ideals in a completely non-metallic way. Its a textural treat with an inviting tone to be enjoyed in its brief arrival.

Surfers has a similar temperament, its atmosphere bruised by a bold murmuring bassline that bleeds a contained deep fuzzy warmness. It leads to an ascension as pumping rave synths are mustered in the fog of its beautiful hazy atmosphere. They never take control but somehow propel the music on despite the polar relation it has to Plini's colorful acoustics. As it fizzles out and ends the record its obviously all to little but the nature of both songs departure has one wondering if these songs could of been more? They are sublime experiments that perhaps the artist couldn't quite figure out where to go with them.

Rating: 3/10

Childish Gambino "3.15.20" (2020)

Going for an ambiguous, minimal presentation of this latest collection of songs, the multi talented Danny Glover AKA Childish Gambino follows up Awaken, My Love with 3.15.10. Its title simply signifies its release date. The plain white album cover furthers the lack of definition, its songs labeled simply with numbers signifying their arrival time on the overall listen. Only two tracks receive a name, Algorythm and Time, the first signifying that Danny is in touch with the times and pondering the human changes of this technological, data driven world is currently finding its way through.

Continuing with his inspired revival of the 70s shades of R&B, Soul and Funk, this newest iteration looks for a little obnoxiousness in its compositions, a handful of opening tracks experimenting with bold, over pronounced instrumentation and sample manipulation that penetrate the musical forefront. Many of these songs leave little in subtlety, bringing bright viscous sounds forward with jolted percussive rhythms, sometimes hinging on a groove but often feeling a little of kilter and niche.

After a slow unrolling of lengthy tracks, 19.10 punches in with a snappy beat and retro synth baseline that feels a little too overstated and off key to croon. As its layers builds the chemistry feels crowded and its proceeding 32.22 perhaps highlights where the experimentation doesn't yield. Its desolate fusion of dirty base rumblings and auto tuned voices crescendo without charm as its purpose seems to converge on volume. Its a gaudy, novelty track thats quite frankly grinding as its discernible voicing relents.

A couple songs later and the closing phase of the record finds some cohesion, experimentation calms and the chemistry heard on his previous effect can be heard again. The singing especially hits a smooth note as Danny's voice is presented without these manipulations heard earlier. It saves the record somewhat but overall I get a sense that the avenues to be different in production and composition just don't come together. Parts of it are very forgettable but a few songs hold up well too.

Favorite Tracks: 42.26, 47.48

Rating: 5/10

The Comet Is Coming "The Afterlife" (2019)

I'm struck with a sense of disappointment as an exciting discovery, Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery, has been swiftly followed up in a matter of months by the London based Jazz Fusion trio. I was dead keen to get on this record, it kicks off with the familiar voice of featured collaborator Joshua Idehen who loaned his voice to Sons Of Kemet. He brings a hype with poetic cries of thought invoking rhymes but bellow him the murmuring base fuzz, spacious percussive grooves and Smooth Jazz saxophone fail to strike a nerve beyond the reasonable. From there the rest of these thirty minutes seem to fall into the same rut of mediocrity. Gone are the tantalizing grooves of obnoxious Metal and thumping EDM music, it recoils back to its roots, dissolving the spice that made this band so interesting and inviting. A dip in form may exacerbate my reaction but a closer analysis seems to further these feelings.

After its opening number, the next two tracks meander through the directionless wandering of low key playing on an ambient setting of bassy synths. Its great background music but little of the musics unraveling is captivating. The first half of Lifeforce has a similar sense of lurking in ambiguity, mustering some suspense for whats to come in the second half where temperate drum grooves and lively two note grooving intertwines with sparse melodies through the saxophone. Its just one song among sleepers. Its final piece reminds me of Vapourwave vibes in a good way, however it too is a sleepy track alluding to an atmosphere that just doesn't engage me. There is nothing bad here, the aesthetics are as gorgeous as before however the low key nature of the music itself turns the whole thing from a jam to a lull that didn't capture an ambient charm, which may have been their intention.

Rating: 4/10

The Comet Is Coming "Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery" (2019)

 In this age of bizarre and unusual musical machinations aided through digital connectivity, this London based trio, The Comet Is Coming, have an eclectic but related assembling of influences. It does however sound as if this could of taken place in the 90s. Jazz Fusion, Progressive Rock, Psychedelia and Electronic music collide with a hint of metallic rhythm styling to the likes of Groove Metal underpinning the approaches to groove and melody. With a drummer, saxophone and keyboard players these three make a rich tapestries of oozing sound, weaving layers of soaring sound between the thudding backbone of rhythm that propels these songs along.

Its typically progressive, winding passages of vividly colorful instrumental tapestry evolves beneath the ever adventuring and freely expressive Sax that jams and howls in the wind. It does however find its way around to stomping drives of primitive minimalism as a couple of notes will rhythmically bounce similar to a Machine Head riff. In these moments one could perhaps hear it as a guitar riff but its execution with the electronic synths hails to EDM and Dance music. Its magnetic and also infects the Sax which occasionally breaks from its advantageous swells of dexterous freting into simplistic dances between a handful of notes.

The three have a sparkling chemistry however its drummer Max Hallett who puts the cherry on top. Oozing, luscious spacey synths aside, the constantly animated and lively percussion seems to anchor everything together. its almost like a third instrument when the beat drops out and an array of symbols shimmer like stars. The range and timbre is enjoyable too, at first its mainly a more Rock oriented kit but as the album develops more worldly drum tones become involved. The only vocal element comes from Kate Tempest who lends her voice and poetry with an impactful appearance that suits the instrumental sound well.

The albums structure and duration feels very tasteful. At forty five minutes it manages to feel lengthy and epic without being a slug. Only one song gets deep into length at eight minutes, most are four five and hold attention from start to end. With slick transitions each song ends up feeling like one part of the bigger picture making for an engrossing listening experience! There isn't a dull moment here however a couple of tribal bass thumping grooves certainly get my attention the most. Cracking record I think will stay with me for years to come!

Favorite Tracks: Because The End Is Really The Beginning, Blood Of The Past

Rating: 7/10

Plini "Sunhead" (2018)

After the exuberant Handmade Cities released two years back, one of my favorite albums that year, Plini has captured my interest as one to watch, an astonishingly talented guitarist with a defined sound capable of mustering lasting wonder and inspiration in the wake of a constant melodic onslaught. Sunhead is the newest release, a four track mini album curating the best of his output in a short but sweet experience that lightly expands the aesthetic pallet with a couple of exotic instruments and obvious moments of inspired Jazz.

The xylophone, saxophone and expanded synths tones arrive on the back of a Jazz Fusion kick that makes itself known in the opening phase of Klind, the free form tangents of Flaneur and lead solos on title track Sunhead. They provide a welcome expansion but certainly not a necessary flavor to Plini's sound which shows no signs of exhaustion in its current form. The Jazz melds seamlessly into the flow of dazzling music that is ever evolving in its Progressive form.

The four tracks make a dense web of music, easy to enjoy on the surface and deep in its construct. Llayers of instruments weave gorgeous details both textural and tuneful into the ever unfolding songs that Plini sings over with the accent of his endless lead guitar playing. Despite it being defined and distinguished, there seems to be no lack of places to explore on the fret board. With him and the other instruments constantly unleashing such dexterity and joy not a second passes without awe.

The production is gorgeous, a warm, authentic and timeless tone graces the crisp, clear, modernized recording with character and meaning. The percussion is especially enjoyable on this project, Chris Allison manages to find a stunning flow of groove and fluidity in his decoration of the beat with exotic fills that run through almost every moment, loading the record with another layer of musicality to dive into.

In the records most ambitious moments two things emerge, the mastery of the Djent groove which moves seamlessly into the natural crescendos and peaks as a part of a bigger picture, rather than some forceful event of singular momentum. Its other big moments are in the gleaming melodies which rise into lead melodies and hit big notes with a touch of 80s cheese, something I can't quite put my finger on but is certainly their with fondness. Its a truly exceptional twenty minutes of excellence.

Rating: 9/10