Label: Fiil Free Records, 2020
Personnel - Henrik Pultz Melbye: saxophone, clarinet; Tomasz Dabrowski: trumpet; Henrik Olsson: guitar; Martin Fabricius: vibraphone; Lars Fiil: piano; Casper Nyvang Rask: double bass; Bjørn Heebøll: drums.
The sophomore outing from Copenhagen-based septet Fiil Free, an avant project led by Danish pianist/composer/improviser Lars Fiil, is called Under Overfladen, which translates into ‘beneath the surface’. The whole thing flows with consistency, and the title track, launching the session, remains in a quiet state of suspension with vibes underpinning everything with a one-note pedal before an avant-garde foray is ordered.
The pendulous “12-6” also relies on a bass pedal (not devoid of rhythmic groove) around which many things revolve. Fiil strolls uncompromisingly while the horn section blows with a clever sense of integration, allowing the simplicity of the process to be converted into an efficient outcome.
Following a methodical course in which instrumental layers are gradually added, “Stille Undren” alternates between the rugged and the contemplative, often underlining an off-centered bass that refuses to go with the flow, which I like.
Undoubtedly a highlight, the exciting “Omvendtom” fans the flames of the ensemble’s explosive soundworld, here composed of avant-jazz freedom and rock with a subtle anthemic flair. The fiery saxophone outbursts and dense guitar noise are gratifying, envisioning changes in the dynamics that pique our curiosity for what comes after. It’s a captivating excursion that culminates with tumultuous piano and crotchety saxophone.
Set to conclude the album is “Largo Con Moto”, which making reference to tempo in its title, starts like an organic, serene experimentation that gets closer to an exercise in mood than a standardly structured composition. The combination of inconsolable melodies, air sounds and a rattling continuum with occasional cymbal color is deeply rewarding.
Balancing the lyrical and the inharmonious as well as the thought and the unexpected, Fiil gifts us with a refreshing record that should bring rapturous joy to jazz aficionados with a progressive ear.
Grade A-
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Under Overfladen ► 02 - Stille Undren ► 05 - Omvendtom