Yochk'o Seffer - Ima

Ima was a second album from Yochk'o Seffer and his Neffesh Music project. Compared to the previous album, Ima has a darker and more sinister vibe. The arrangements, composition and layering of sounds is more complex than on Delire, the result is a difficult but a richly rewarding listen, a bizarre avant-fusion manifestation.

The title track continues where the final composition on the last album (titled as the first part of "Ima") left off: sinister low drone in E pulsating throughout the 20 minute piece with shifting layers and textures drifting in and out of the mix. Yochk'o uses vocalizing, harmonies, saxophone solos, other self-made reed instruments that rattle and drone in the background and even synthesizers to create an unsettling and surrealist ambiance. Yochk'o plays almost everything in here, save for drums and bass (by Dominique Bertram and Manu Katche respectively) that appear 15 minutes in for some low-key interplay. 20 minutes of almost pure ambient music that sounds more involving than most other efforts in that vein.

The second side is more jazz and fusion oriented, but there's still a lot going on. Mauricia Platon from early Zao days sits in on vocals for the two compositions on side two. "Ofek" opens with mysterious rubato melody rendered on vocal and tenor sax underpinned by strings, bass and clavinet. Clavinet, bass and drums play edgy, herky-jerky rhythms, with meandering xylophone providing further tension. The piece straddles a fine line between composed and improvised material, featuring stellar string performance from Quatour Margand.

"Noce Chimique" is what I'd describe as "extremist jazz-fusion". It features tricky time signatures, nimble yet dissonant basslines and edgy soprano saxophone lines and as such, it might seem as a self-indulgent wank-fest. But further listens reveal a multi-layered beast. Various keyboards provide ominous texture, Platon's voice sounds eerie as hell, at 2:30 Seffer goes into a furious free-jazz piano solo that almost compares to Cecyl Taylor. Five minutes in violin solo comes in, followed by rigid strings. Seven minutes in the piece shifts into a fast paced 7/8 groove, with a choral backing from Platon (and possibly Seffer) to the sax solo, followed by a bass solo during a similar groove where harmonic backdrop is provided by overdubbed soprano and sopranino saxes. A very folky Hungarian melody on vocal and soprano sax follows the improvisation, until the sax drops out leaving piano, bass, drums and vocal. Eventually Platon recites the composition's title and the piece ends with synthesizer effects. Thus closes yet another interesting and unique record from Yochk'o Seffer, which might be his most avant-garde work. A surreal and sinister spin on Zeuhl.