Hey everyone! Back after an exhausting week at school. Been doing some recreative listens after ending my spiritual jazz deep dive and I... sincerely have to say that this is one of the most impressive albums I've ever heard in my life. Just wanted to lyk. I'll do more serious reviews in the next days. show more
The sound palette is mainly made of synths and i really appreciated it but it doesn't quite standout as 'kick iiiii', the only... other record I've listened that belongs in the "kick saga".
Sure, the futuristic environment mixed with the ambientish yet ruthless sound and the whole coming out as a trans woman theme is great.. But it goes from really accessible tracks like 'Xenomorphgirl' and 'Queer' to distorted and deconstructed tracks like 'Alien Inside' without making any sense, resulting in a rushed and confused work.
In the overall, the highlights are very good, but the other tracks don't sit quite right with me. show more
I was always skeptical about traditional Indian music. I never even tried to delve into ragas and such, but today i found myself... listening to this record which was sitting on my spiritual jazz chart. I'm.. Fascinated, to say the least.
Executed by the Pakistani quartet Jaubi, composed by Latarnik and gently accompanied by Tenderlonious and his flute, "Nafs at Peace" demonstrates to be a peculiar and unique gem.
The instruments are mainly Hindustani and they find each other collaborating in the realization of spiritual greatness that spans from track to track, yet leaving a little space to shine for every instrument. The ruthless sound of the Sarangi blends itself with a choir of solemn voices in the first track, "Seek Refuge", which serves as a meditative and environmental initiation to the path of redemption to reach peace.
Immediately after the first track we can immediately sense change with the insertion of the first percussion instruments in "Insia", especially the Tabla, which serves as the main rhythmic base and which is wonderfully executed by the skillful Kashif Ali Dhani. From now on the record turns into something more fusioney and boppy, creating a sense of surprise and will of discovery in the listener.
This peculiar instrumentation reminded me a lot Don Cherry, one of the absolute masters of spiritual jazz, which took a lot of influence from Indian and African music whilst composing his beautiful trumpet tunes.
We seem to go back to traditional indian music with the "Raga Gujri Todi", which starts off as a simple raga, but that completely changes around the second minute, when it completely switches to an intense and funky track.
Despite the intensity of instruments like the previously mentioned Sarangi, the album has also some really great chillout tracks, like "Straight Path", which features some really great percussion moments.
The album surprised me the most with the song "Zari", which in my opinion is the best one. The song features some really interesting R&B chillout elements that reminded me of Grover Washington Jr's magnum opus: Winelight. The track also has some really impressive sax moments, John Coltrane's influence is blatant and undeniable.
In the end, the record is all about finding yourself throughout the concept of "Nafs", which means "Self" in Arabic culture. To reach the final state of nafs, you need to seek redemption in it, even though starting with an evil one. show more
It starts getting good from track number six and that's honestly a problem because not everyone can handle listening to a whole album... if the first half of it pretty much doesn't say nothing apart from MAYBE 'Second Hand Embarassment'. The second half is masterpiece content. show more
Continuing my deep dive into the spiritual jazz scene, today I delve into the young and promising London scene, basically the locus amoenus... of modern jazz.
The first thing that impressed me about 'Polyhymnia' by Yazz Ahmed is the record's background: the album was commissioned for International Women's Day in 2015 and took an astounding five years to be published, no wonder the production is flawless.
Ahmed's amazing trumpet blends with Alcyona Mick's piano, resulting in a dynamic entente. This is quite notable in what, in my opinion, is the greatest track on the record, 'Ruby Bridges', a groovy and spiritual vibe that seeps within the listener in a matter of seconds.
Women's emancipation is conducted flawlessly throughout the album, especially in 'One girl among many', that features a choir of voices quoting the feminist activist Malala Yousafzai, and in '2857', which is dedicated to Rosa Parks. In the mentioned track we can see a sudden switch around the fifth minute, that turns the song from melancholic and sad into a free jazz and scatty tune.
The only downside about the album is that some parts of certain tracks can result quite "dead" at some point due to the lack of rhythmic movement which is the forte of the album, yet, i think this record deserves a lot of appreciation not only for the songs themselves, but also for the deep and profound meaning behind it. show more
Picture yourself late-night walking through the beaches of some remote island as the stars glimmer over your head. That's exactly what this album... is about. Released in 1979, "Sleeping Beauty" by Sun Ra and his Arkestra is the groovy yet spiritual and soothing masterpiece everyone should listen to.
The record swings from wonderfully calming tracks like the opener, 'Springtime Again', which, you guessed it, perfectly encapsulates the beauty of spring, to pure fusion greatness like 'Door of the Cosmos', which features a bass line that's worth dying for.
A really interesting choice that furtherly contributes to the creation of Sun Ra's eccentric persona is the presence of soft occasional vocals scattered around the songs, and that's a thing i particularly appreciate in jazz records.
In my opinion, this album has absolutely no cons, and i will revisit it when i'll find myself roaming around the beautiful landscapes of my land. Among all of the spiritual jazz records i've listened to in these weeks, this is surely the best one by now. Well deserved five stars, screw it! show more
Boygeniusey tunes for healing. Lies upon lies will serve only as a matter of rehabilitation if you meditate hard enough to ignore them.... A wonderful album. show more
Listened to this on the beach, wonderful and refreshing.
A meditation experience through asian and eastern instruments.
One of the most emotional records I've stumbled upon. A masterpiece that ensembles all the characteristics of plunderphonics and glitch pop without turning... itself into a chaotic mess. I love this. show more
