Record Reviews

TATVAMASI ~ HALDUR BILDUR AUDIO CAVE 2019/010 (Barcode: 5905669566827) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the fifth album by Polish quartet TatvamasiFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Grzegorz LesiakFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Tomasz PiatekFind albums by this artist, bassist Lukasz DownarFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof RedasFind albums by this artist. On this album the quartet is expanded to a septet with the addition of violinist Anna WitkowskaFind albums by this artist-Piatek, cellist Malgorzata PietronFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Jan MichalecFind albums by this artist (all three participated on earlier albums of the quartet). The album presents just four extended tracks, all composed by Lesiak. As usual with Tatvamasi´s music, it manages to stay beyond conventional categorization, which is obviously its strength and magic. These long expanded sonic vistas are explorations of melodic themes, riffs, groove, beat and World Music influences, completely intertwined within each other. The best strategy is simply to let go of any attempt of analyzing this music intellectually and let it take you wherever it goes by itself, trusting the musicians submissively. The music is considerably less Avant-Garde oriented this time (except for the last piece), with way more melodic contents, which obviously serves the group´s ability to communicate with the listener. Whereas the previous album by Tatvamasi ("Amor FatiFind albums with this title") left me somewhat cold / confused, they returned with vengeance this time producing a condensed, fully focused and better recorded piece of superb music, which takes no prisoners. The strings are this time completely integrated within the fabric of the group´s sound and add another important dimension. Michalec, who already appeared on two earlier albums by the group, seems to be an integral part of the improvising tour de force. Overall this is an excellent album, probably the group´s best offering to date, which finds the group in top form and takes the listener on a hypnotic and unstoppable ride through a kaleidoscope of sounds, rhythms and melodies, which are continuously changing and chasing one development after another and yet manage to stay focused and coherent for the entire duration. Regardless if you are into Rock, Prog, Jazz or Fusion, this album offers plenty of all of those and more. Hats off!

Updated: 26/10/2019Posted: 26/10/2019

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