Shawn Lovato: Biotic

On his two previous releases, bassist Shawn Lovato revealed an inventive compositional approach that made excellent use of his ensembles. His debut, Cycles of Animation (Skirl Records, 2017), harnessed a formidable quintet while his sophomore effort, Microcosms, was more ambitious still, channeling his creative vision through a sextet format (ears&eyes Records, 2022). For Biotic, in contrast, Lovato is going small, with just a trio—although the sound is anything but diminutive, particularly with the tensile strength of saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock in tow, and a superb up-and-comer, Henry Mermer, on the drum kit. This stripped-down grouping allows us to focus our attention on the spontaneous exchanges and careful negotiations that have always been intrinsic to Lovato's music, yet now with even more room for subtlety and discovery.

The rhythmic drive that surges through several of the album's seven cuts is present on the crafty opener, "Spling," a piece which derives its initial momentum through brief staccato phrases that unite the bassist and saxophonist in propelling the track forward. A roiling undercurrent is eventually established by Lovato and Mermer, enabling Laubrock to launch into one of her many exhilarating solos on the record. The second cut, "Frequent Flyer," has a similar unsettled energy, with Laubrock alternating between dusky musings and repetitive bursts that dovetail with Lovato's, keeping the rhythm in motion in support of the bassist's own deft solo. "Patience and Hydration" is another knotty composition, as Laubrock nimbly darts through the complex winding structure delineated by Lovato and Mermer.

Not all the tracks hit with such immediacy, and one can savor the players' more reflective temperament on pieces like "One Step from Anything Easy" and "Inexorable." The former is a relatively brief dialogue between Lovato and Laubrock, this time with the leader on arco, that showcases both players' collaborative instincts, while the latter is a somber contemplation featuring Laubrock at her most lyrical, as Lovato's own melodic disposition emerges through his generous and empathetic support.  

The album closes with "Parachute Bloom," a slow burner which starts with another patient conversation between Laubrock and Lovato's arco, leaving plenty of time for the tension to build through mutual ostinato phrases alongside Mermer's steady brushwork. It all comes to a head by the end to reveal a hint of Laubrock's understated aggression, before settling back into the piece's foundational theme, as the bassist and saxophonist come together again to carry the piece to its satisfying conclusion.

Another triumph for Lovato, Biotic reveals new facets of the bassist's muse, and it should generate plenty of anticipation for what this enterprising musician may have in store for the future.