Label: Edition Records, 2021

Personnel - Peter Eldh: acoustic and electric bass, guitars, synth, piano, Rhodes; Wanja Slavin: alto sax, flutes; Otis Sandsjo: tenor sax, clarinet; Johannes Lauer: trombone; Kit Downes: piano; Per Texas Johansson: flute; Jonas Kullhammer: flute; Kathrin Pechlof: harp; Mascha Juno: marimba, vibraphone, percussion; Niels Broos: keyboards, Rhodes; David Byrd Marrow: French horn; Reinier Baas: guitar + guest drummers Nate Wood, Eric Harland, Savannah Harris, Gard Nilssen, Richard Spaven and James Maddren.

Berlin-based Swedish bassist Petter Eldh has gained notoriety in the modern creative trio Punkt Vrt. Plastik, Django Bates Belovèd and Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity. Perhaps less known are his skills as a producer, which stand out on this auspicious debut album called Projekt Drums Vol. 1. Each track features a particular drummer whose modern takes on rhythm and complex beats are at the epicenter of an extraordinary patchwork of genre-defying sounds created to show his love for drums and rhythm.

“Lorimer” kicks off with epic unisons but veers to stuttering melody, which is later challenged by countermelodies and prolonged synth-shimmer. The beat of guest drummer Savannah Harris is something. It pulsates with deft intricacy underneath the grid of heavy bass reverberation and the floating notes of flutist Per Texas Johansson. The perplexing collages denote many influences that include jazz, hip-hop, electronic and Brazilian music.

My favorite track is “Hawk Mountain”, whose left-field hip-hop strut is brought by Eric Harland. In addition to the concise yet exciting solos from German altoist Wanja Slavin and British pianist Kit Downes, there’s this catchy 21-beat-cycle melodic figure tossed off by Eldh on keyboard that puts a smile on our faces. He finishes the ride with a guitar and a gentle bossanova feel.

The incredible Nate Wood (from Kneebody) infuses lots of gravity on “Green Street” by virtue of elastic beat-laden fluxes that fluctuate tempo with mastery. His prog-rock and progressive jazz tendencies are corroborated by Otis Sandsjo on tenor saxophone and Slavin on flute.

The experimental aspect is always present and the simpatico “Gimsøy”, with master Gard Nilssen in absolute command of the drum set, brings that sense to the setting by exploring gracious sonorities with an interesting combination of harp, vibes, acoustic guitar and bowed bass. This melodious piece, occasionally disrupted by warped and psychedelic interjections, was inspired by the indie electronic sounds of Daedelus.

With an uneven pavement and stringent rhythmic skitter laid down by Richard Spaven, “Goods Yard” combines elements of neo-soul, funk and electronica, whereas “East Croydon” concludes the record with Reinier Baas’s guitar at the center of a playful composite of R&B, post-disco and a dollop of acid jazz redolent of Jamiroquai. The drummer on the job here is James Maddren.

Eldh assures stylistic variety and consistent energy throughout this multi-tiered creative project with a lot to be explored and discovered.