N.E.W: Motion (Dancing Wayang Records, 2014) ****½

Reviewed by Joe

N.E.W. equals Steve Noble, John Edwards and Alex Ward. I thought this was their debut release, but if you look at the comments section (below) you'll notice this their 4th release. Anyhow, "Motion" is one killing album. Firstly, just to clear up and any misunderstandings, Alex Ward, normally known as a clarinettist, is playing guitar on this record. Steve Noble - drums, has played with Rip Rig and Panic, Derek Bailey, Matthew Shipp, Peter Brötzmann and about everybody (whose anybody) on the UK free-jazz scene. John Edwards, whom you'll find liberally throughout this blog, is one of the UK's top bass players on the improv' scene. Add those elements together and that means that this is a free-jazz-rock-thrash-metal-noise-swing-impro trio, what more can you want?

Right from the very start the trio launches straight into hard hitting improvised rock. There's no gentle introduction to this trio, they fire off all guns immediately and then don't stop until the end of the album 5 tracks later. For anyone familiar with those great improvised sections in King Crimson's music, then this could be (sort of) the next step in the musical process. The guitar playing of Alex Ward reminds me of the style that Fripp used back in those early Crimson days, although here Alex gets a chance to push boundaries in other directions.

The music focuses around Ward's guitar which points the trio in the different directions. He winds his way through hard rock and even jazzy ideas on "Betting on Now" (tk1). Here Noble and Edwards support him with swinging drums and walking bass lines. In "Tall & True"(tk3) Steve Noble and John Edwards jump in with some manic rhythms, leaving Alex to gradually creep in with chunky riffing power chords to 'rock' the group.

"4th and Three" (tk4), the longest piece on the album (10 minutes) builds from a tremolo idea. The band spends plenty of time exploring space and rhythm, but as the music progresses the guitar gradually steels in with some slide (?) playing, squealing into high registers, whilst the bass and drums rock away - reminding me of some of Rip, Rig and Panic's musical outings. On "Motion" (tk5), the group bring many of the ideas heard on previous pieces together - silent sections, powerful guitar sounds, hard hitting drums and bass. What makes it all so listen-able is the way they develop the ideas 'tonally', and although there's plenty of sonic probing they always use rhythm or melody as a focal point - if you call distorted bashed chords melodic? 

Lastly I should mention the label Dancing Wayang. They produce a very small amount of releases and this is a 300 limited edition LP, as are all their records. Anna (Tjan), the founder of the label tells me that the first 100 copies include a bonus 3" CDR of the band live, so if you're interested, don't hang about!

Highly recommended - could be a good one for all those who like air-guitar also!

Find (and buy) the record here Dancing Wayang Records

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Mombu - Niger (Subsound Records, 2013) ****

By Antonio Poscic

About three years ago, the Italian jazz/noise/punk greats Zu ceased to exist. At the same time, Mombu surfaced. The band, featuring Zu’s saxophonist Luca T. Mai and his Italian compatriot, drummer Antonio Zitarelli (of Neo fame), was poised to take Zu’s place on the scene. Instead, it became clear from the very beginning that Mombu’s was an altogether different approach to art. The impressively massive and instantly recognizable sound of Mai’s baritone saxophone remains the only point of similarity between the two bands. Mombu nurture a very specific and unique style. As the duo tends to stress in interviews, their intent is to translate the authentic and primordial elements of African tribal music into the language of extreme music, jazzcore and free jazz. Their latest album, Niger, is a testament to their mission. Whereas on their previous two albums you could detect some elements evocative of Zu, Niger primarily sounds like a completely faithful reading of tribal music. The ideas behind their approach, their outrageous blend of African rhythms, free jazz, punk, and even grindcore, might seem oxymoronic at first glance, but the result of Mombu’s work is truly fascinating.

Niger is comprised of seven songs with each song sounding distinct enough without being repetitive and yet allowing the album to function great as a whole. The understanding and deep respect that Mai and Zitarelli have towards the roots of their inspiration can be heard throughout these songs. In contrast to many modern world music projects, the tribal influences are not trivialized and butchered. They are only slightly adapted and changed to fit their original, extreme styles. This is further emphasized when the duo is joined by the Senegalese musician Mbar Ndiaye. It is incredible how his singing, chanting, and percussions fit naturally and effortlessly into Mombu’s sound which leads us to believe that these songs was always meant to be interpreted like this.

Two elements can be seen as the driving force here: the hypnotic rhythms and the colossal, thunderous saxophone. Zitarelli’s drumming, stylistically planted somewhere between jazz and rock, brings forward the primal rhythms that can be identified in the music of so many different cultures throughout human history. Rhythms that are, for some weird anthropological reasons, so appealing to the human ear and mind. On the other hand, the guttural, vibrato sound of Mai’s baritone saxophone provides a layer of energy and creativity which becomes most noticeable in their free jazz inspired passages.

From the very first song, the main formula behind the song structures becomes clear. It consists of Mai repeating an interesting phrase on his saxophone, Zitarelli pummeling one of his rolling, trans-inducing rhythms. Then, suddenly, a change in rhythm: slowing down, speeding up, soon followed by an Ayleresque saxophone passage. And all along there’s electricity and incredible energy flowing from the record. It’s simple, yet enthralling and exciting music. The final element featured on this album is provided by Marco 'Cinghio' Mastrobuono on electric guitar. His contribution gives some of the tracks a more westerly feel, but doesn’t affect the sound in a substantial way.

All things considered, Niger is a captivating record that might make you rethink the ideas and preconceptions that are usually associated with “world music”. Even for the less adventurous listeners, if you look beyond the intensity and rawness that strikes you initially, there’s some great and smart music to be found here. Highly recommended.

A sample of their music:

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Willamette (CD Baby/Bandcamp, 2012) ***

By Alfie Cooke

If the tenor saxophone seemed custom-made for rock 'n' roll, then Dana Colley, Mats Gustafsson and now Matt Rippetoe, seem hell-bent on proving that the baritone was specially designed for its harder, meaner, darker kid brother - heavy metal. Taking note of Bob Dylan's famous "play it f-ing loud", Willamette crank up the volume, thrash the guitars and beat the drums senseless. Holding down, at various points, both lead-line and riffing duties, Rippetoe cuts his way through the middle. His raspy tone sounding at times like Gustafsson, he captures the blood-and-guts vocal low-end of bands like Husker Dü and (Henry) Rollins-era Black Flag.

Although there are similarities to Swedish über-trio The Thing, this isn't jazz, the solos for the most part clinging firmly to the rock tradition - but then, being so heavily sax-lead, it isn't heavy rock either. But the fact that it seems caught in the no man's land between the two isn't a bad thing - the path it takes means its different without being difficult and danceable without being drivel. Try out their samples on the Bandcamp  release page or the version of 'Mr Smith' on YouTube here below, let your head start banging and then decide - metal jazz, is it the new New Thing?

The band :  Matt Rippetoe - baritone sax,  Yoshie Fructer - guitar,  Gary Pickard - bass, Dave Previ - drums

 

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Combat Astronomy - Flak Planet (Zond, 2011) ****

By Stef

You can call it headbangers jazz, or metal jazz, or industrial jazz, the band itself tags its own genre as "ambient avant doom metal brutal prog free jazz". If you have difficulties grasping what this means, I can recommend that you listen to this Bandcamp link. The band is Martin Archer on organ, electronics, zither, tambourine, sopranino, alto and baritone saxes, Bb and bass clarinets, and bass recorder, with Mick Beck on tenor sax and bassoon, James Huggett on fretless 5 string bass, Mike Ward on tenor sax, bass and concert flutes, reindeer horn and drone flute, and Derek Saw on trombone and trumpet. The drums are all programmed.

The result is quite stunning and even better than "Dematerialised Passenger", the only other album I ever heard by the band, because they take their concept to the limit, using jazz instruments (basically) to generate the rock feel of heavy metal with all its connotations of slow and relentless doom and oppression. 

It is actually great fun, although some might call it torture to the ears, and well, I'm sure the band won't mind this description either.

Listen and download from Bandcamp. 

Kumiko Takara, Massimo Pupillo, Paal Nilssen-Love - Raids On The Unspeakable (2011) ***

Less impressive but equally violent is this EP by  Kumiko Takara on vibes, Massimo Pupillo on electric bass and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. The trio manages to create a heavy and powerful sound, full of darkness and forward drive, keeping the tension even in the sparse lower volume moments. Despite some really strong parts, and the unidirectional strong musicianship of Pupillo and Nilssen-Love, the sound quality is not excellent, and at times the sense of cohesion gets a little bit lost.


For those interested in the genre, I can also recommend the French band Kolkhöse Printanium. 

Keep those heads banging!


© stef

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