Label: Intakt Records

Personnel - Dee Byrne: alto saxophone; Elliot Galvin: piano, electronics; Chris Guilfoyle: guitar; Lukas Traxel: bass; Clemens Kuratle; drums, electronics.

In his new album, The Default, Swiss drummer and composer Clemens Kuratle delves into themes of racial and gender bias and the privileges of modern Western society. Recording with his ensemble Ydivide for the second time, this follow-up to their acclaimed debut, Lumumba (Intakt, 2022), brims with dynamic four-way conversations, balancing big ideas and alluring sounds. His collaborators - English saxophonist Dee Byrne, Irish guitarist Chris Guilfoyle, Swiss bassist Lukas Traxel, and English pianist and electronic musician Elliot Galvin - bring depth and texture to create vibrant modern mosaics.

The title track, “The Default”, exudes a relaxed, dreamy vibe, marked by its mellifluous flow. Solos from Byrne and Guilfoyle stir emotions, with the guitarist skillfully catching the tail of the saxophonist’s statement and developing it with purpose and clarity. “Hamster’s Wheel” is a uniquely beautiful piece initiated by an expressive, delineative bass figure that becomes a wellspring of inspiration. The quintet’s interplay includes powerful unisons and counterpoints before transitioning to a meditative repose.

“Deine Warme” builds intensity from a tranquil start. It doesn’t really expand harmonically, but serves as a showcase for Byrne's warm, burnished saxophone tone. Meanwhile, “For E.S.” evokes the Americana influences of the Chicago-based rock band Wilco, crafting an empathetic sax-driven theme imbued with affection and connection.

“Highway” is a splendorous groovy act enhanced by sparse yet enveloping piano chords that add colorful nuance to the tight rhythmic interplay of Traxel’s bass and Kuratle's galloping drums. Rhythmic shifts keep the listeners engaged, while Guilfoyle’s inventive guitar solo dazzles with intricate ostinatos, compelling twists, and an elastic mix of inside/outside moves. The album concludes with “Roy Wood Jr.”, a feel-good piece in 7/4 that pays homage to the American stand-up comedian, featuring a fine saxophone riff, gently percussive gestures, resonant bass underpinning, ambient guitar textures, and a thoughtful piano discourse.

Kuratle leads Ydivide through an ever-shifting sonic landscape, defined by its compelling melodies, richly layered textures, and striking contrasts.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Hamster’s Wheel ► 06 - Highway ► 07 - Roy Wood Jr.

Label: Intakt Records, 2022

Personnel - Dee Byrne: alto saxophone; Chris Guilfoyle: guitar; Elliot Galvin: piano, electronics; Lukas Traxel: bass; Clemens Kuratle: drums, electronics.

This debut album by the up-and-coming Swiss drummer and composer Clemens Kuratle deserves attention. Not just for the well-constructed music itself but also for the socio-political vision (and emotions associated with it) on inequality, power, war, and climate. With this purpose in mind, he pairs down with four cohorts from the British, Irish and Swiss jazz scenes who share a similar taste for structured frameworks and unfettered improvisation.

Ydivide (‘why divide’) tackles seven Kuratle compositions and a completely improvised piece. The quintet sizzles right out of the gate with “Lumumba”, a tune inspired by RD Congo's former prime minister Patrice Lumumba. A solid figure in five is expeditely thrown in by the hand of the drummer, shifting to a slower, marching 4/4 flux that serves the theme. Guitarist Chris Guilfoyle brings his fretboard skills to the fore, after which an odd-metered groove with plenty of displacement chops is installed. It's an invitation to saxophonist Dee Byrne to channel her inner energy through a proficient solo.

Pianist Elliot Galvin introduces “Another One For Rose”, whose subsequent textural counterpoint leads to a crest of rock power set with brawny drum gushes and distorted guitar. Another high point is “Bwegshit”, a trenchant criticism of England’s Brexit, which includes a caustic drone as premature backdrop, a transient sudden explosion, intricate accents, and syncopated rhythms. The piano solo is strong, providing impetus for Kuratle’s patterned cymbals; it's followed by a saxophone vortex at the tag.

The group shows to have a gift for understatement when necessary, and “Marvelling” proves it with minimalist sculpting and soft tones. This number contrasts with the freeish agitation and electronics that randomly navigate “They Haven’t Learned Anything”. A tighter snare drum demarcation points out a more defined path that leads us directly to the vamping “No Cynicism”. The album is concluded with “Optimism”, where we find a happy communion between winding folk and modern post-bop.

There’s outside-the-box composing and playing on Lumumba. A sheer breadth of sound remarkably put together by a group that has a word to say in a not less resonant European jazz scene.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lumumba ► 02 - Another One For Rose ► 06 - Bwegshit