fissionchips303

Jazz U by Antony Raijekov is a superb recording full of atmosphere and vibe. Rather than a disparate collection of tracks arbitrarily thrown together into a release, it feels like a sonic voyage, expertly crafted and presented to the listener as an auditory vacation into marvelous and fantastic realms.

Songs like Moment of Green ooze with dubby downtempo ala The Orb, while wisps of guitar and organ float by in the breeze. Go 'n' Drop combines subdued jazz instrumentation and harmonies with breakbeats for a slightly more dancefloor friendly variant on Amon Tobin's frenetic brush routine. Drop of Whisper is reminiscient of the Middle-Eastern-tinged downtempo of Thievery Corporation, and the epic EXIT 65, which transitions from low key jazz breaks to driving tribal tech-trance evokes the early '90s classics of Banco de Gaia or Future Sound of London.

But, despite these comparisons, the voice of Raijekov is present throughout the recording. The sound of Antony Raijekov is noticeable in its atmosphere, its presence. There is a noticeable air or space in the recordings; the ambiance which propels the recording like a river flowing downstream; the invisible hand of the songwriter which carries the listener along. What is unique about this recording is that it covers a lot of ground, the sonic palette constantly shifting and moods subtly changing, but it all progresses so naturally. That is to say, the artist has a maturity that results in the progression of moods and genres sounding natural. Tracks like Lightout have a brooding presence that would be right at home on the soundtrack to the next Batman feature whereas the track While We Walk is a pleasant Bossa that could be found on a Bebel Gilberto album. The fact that the album holds together so well and flows in such a natural manner despite the wide range of music presented is a testament to the skill of its creator.

Many albums in my record collection are good, but out of the good albums, not all are listenable. What I mean is that sometimes an album will be really good, but not that easy to listen to. Maybe it's too avant-garde or earth shattering or whatever, but some albums, however good they are, just don't get played all that much around this household. Well, this isn't one of those albums! It is both good and listenable, by which I mean to say that it both has artistic merit and is thoroughly enjoyable to listen to.

Highly recommended for active listening or unobtrusively in the background while driving, at parties etc.

This recording is an example of excellent, fiery modern jazz. Very expressive improvisation, dynamic range and the band really cooks together. Some of the tunes are quite experimental in the new-school vein of Kurt Rosenwinkel or Mark Turner, while others are more restrained and traditional. But it never sounds formulaic or contrived. Despite (or perhaps because of) the often-experimental and syncopated improvisation, the cohesiveness of the band as a whole really shines through in this recording. All in all, a solid addition to any modern jazz fan's library.