Label: ILK, 2020
Personnel - Peter Bruun: drums, synth; Kasper Kranberg: trumpet; Marc Ducret: guitars; Simon Toldam: keyboards; Petter Eldh: bass, electronics; Anders Banks: flutes, bass clarinet, saxophone.
Danish percussionist Peter Bruun gives continuity to a project he started in 2017 with guitarist Marc Ducret, trumpeter Kasper Kranberg and keyboardist Simon Toldam. On the new outing, Because You’re Worth It, this quartet is extended with the addition of bassist Petter Eldh and woodwinds player Anders Banks.
The shapeshifting “All Too Disko” is impregnated with synth pop sounds, relating more to Kraftwerk’s experimentalism and Gary Numan’s synth-driven new wave than any real disco band. Displaced trancy beats populate an evocative setting that includes a fusion-inspired solo by Ducret, and a consonance of flute and synth melodies.
“The If Machine” first denotes an inclination to slacken industrial rock textures but soon becomes infested with dark washes of synthesizer that hauls it into an experimental dance style akin to Depeche Mode. Always driven by the unexpectedness of the beat, the ambiance switches from light to austere, but the final moments are given a jazz-infused treatment on the grounds of trumpet and guitar.
Less galvanic than its predecessors, the title track still provides orchestral momentum and tension, yet its relaxation only becomes slightly disturbed by the irregularities of the fractal beat.
“Tipping Points” adheres to a fearless rhythmic impetuosity that pushes it forward with the help of Eldh’s bass lines. Sharp unisons and occasional counterpoint are found with the flute layers introduced by Banks. Nonetheless, it’s Ducret’s surging electric guitar that stands out in the final segment.
The album gets better as it moves forward, and the trip-hop-ish “Dead Rock Base” is another impactful track with a heavy concentration of dark synth textures bolstering the foundation. This electronically carved jazz finds its peak when Kranberg shows off his improvisational flair.
Joyously unconventional, the tweaked trajectories of Bruun’s music are the product of a cerebral compositional style irrigated with well-programmed moves and improvisation. At least, no one can accuse him of lacking experimentation or not attempting to innovate.
Grade B
Favorite Tracks:
03 - Because You’re Worth It ► 05 - Tipping Points ► 06 - Dead Rock Base