What We Must sounds like the most consistent Jaga Jazzist release to date. They add some intense walls of sounds inspired by post-Kevin Shields sonic experimentations to their jazzy horn-driven leanings, while eschewing the frenzied electronic beats found on albums like A Livingroom Hush and The Stix. Outstanding tunes are the anthemic rock-driven "All I Know is Tonight" and a cinematic melange of droning horn arrangements, wordless vocals and odd time signatures and pastoral repetitive motifs that is "Swedenborgske Rom". Markus Schmicker of Pluramon is behind the production stool and a few moments like "Mikado" have affinities with the dreamy droning soundscapes that were on Pluramon's Dreams Top Rock, albeit in a more complex and multi-layered form. It's obvious that the band is working in slightly more accessible idioms as melodic themes like "Stardust Hotel" with its slightly oriental and distorted woodwind melody would testify, but this is nowhere near a sell-out. Instead of dumbed down trappings in songs, all compositions are densely multi-layered and each listening can reveal different things. If anything, Jaga is exploring and rediscovering, reinventing their sound and pursuing new directions. Some of the album copies are double CD edition where the 2nd CD includes the Spydeberg Sessions, and listening to raw and often embryonic versions of 4 out of 7 regular album tracks one can hear how Jaga was evolving and exploring their sonic possibilities. A successful effort over-all and a bold step forward for the band.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Jaga Jazzist - What We Must
What We Must sounds like the most consistent Jaga Jazzist release to date. They add some intense walls of sounds inspired by post-Kevin Shields sonic experimentations to their jazzy horn-driven leanings, while eschewing the frenzied electronic beats found on albums like A Livingroom Hush and The Stix. Outstanding tunes are the anthemic rock-driven "All I Know is Tonight" and a cinematic melange of droning horn arrangements, wordless vocals and odd time signatures and pastoral repetitive motifs that is "Swedenborgske Rom". Markus Schmicker of Pluramon is behind the production stool and a few moments like "Mikado" have affinities with the dreamy droning soundscapes that were on Pluramon's Dreams Top Rock, albeit in a more complex and multi-layered form. It's obvious that the band is working in slightly more accessible idioms as melodic themes like "Stardust Hotel" with its slightly oriental and distorted woodwind melody would testify, but this is nowhere near a sell-out. Instead of dumbed down trappings in songs, all compositions are densely multi-layered and each listening can reveal different things. If anything, Jaga is exploring and rediscovering, reinventing their sound and pursuing new directions. Some of the album copies are double CD edition where the 2nd CD includes the Spydeberg Sessions, and listening to raw and often embryonic versions of 4 out of 7 regular album tracks one can hear how Jaga was evolving and exploring their sonic possibilities. A successful effort over-all and a bold step forward for the band.
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