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AERIE: Sonic
ByAERIE race out of the blocks on "Hits 100 001 stiH," Hipp's alto saxophone and Sam Comerford's tenor in scurrying unison over Matthew Jacobson's punchy polyrhythms, and staccato riffs from bass and Laurent Meteau on guitar. A brief pocket of collective repose is shattered by the horns, with Comerford's tumbling, harsh-edged solo an improvisational release in Hipp's tightly choreographed grip. In essence, this format provides the template for the album as a whole, with unison melodies, mantra-like rhythmic motifs and Jacobson's lithe rhythms punctuated by explosive bursts of individual freedom. Yet, that said, Hipp's blueprints are never entirely predictable.
Just when it seems that a handle on the complex yet visceral dynamics is within grasp, shifts in emphasissometimes subtle, sometimes dramatichappily upset the apple cart. For example, Laurent's raw guitar pyrotechnics on "Sonic Complete" provide release from the wickedly insistent collective rhythms, while ratcheting up the tension at the same time. "Fuchsteufelswild," with its alternatively serene saxophone harmonics and driving rhythmic melody is another tune as arresting as it is hard to pin down. Staccato rhythmic patterns and inviting, unison saxophone lines dovetail on "Bad Trash Fish," while a dreamy, bowed bass and feathery guitar passage is but a bridge to an animated finale.
"In the Dumps," is, appropriately enough, the most mellow tune of the set, the saxophones' gentle melancholy paving the way for Helm's achingly spare solo. Meteau's brooding, repetitive arpeggio is a harbinger of more anxious rhythms that duly surface, but in the end, a listless tranquillity reigns. The understated lyricism of "Monochrome," via Hipp's most ambitious blowing, reaches a more dynamic plateau, before closing abruptly. The curiously titled "Abeillmmmost," the final act in an absorbing journey, is an epic brew of dynamic contrasts that culminates in a repeated guitar-cum-saxophone motif that fades, ever so hypnotically, to nothing.
Sonic underlines Hipp's credentials as a boldly original composer and positions AERIE as one of the most exciting of the current crop of maverick European jazz bands. The music may be initially challenging for those perhaps used to straighter lines, but repeated exposure should offer up rich rewards.
Track Listing
Hits 100 001stiH; Sonic Complete; Introduction; Fuchsteufelswild; Bad Trash Fish; In the Dumps; Monochrome; Abeillmmmost.
Personnel
Ingo Hipp: alto saxophone; Sam Comerford: tenor saxophone; Laurent Meteau: guitar; David Helm: bass; Matthew Jacobson: drums.
Album information
Title: Sonic | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: QFTF
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