Dear All About Jazz Readers,

If you're familiar with All About Jazz, you know that we've dedicated over two decades to supporting jazz as an art form, and more importantly, the creative musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made All About Jazz one of the most culturally important websites of its kind in the world reaching hundreds of thousands of readers every month. However, to expand our offerings and develop new means to foster jazz discovery we need your help.

You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky Google ads PLUS deliver exclusive content and provide access to future articles for a full year! This combination will not only improve your AAJ experience, it will allow us to continue to rigorously build on the great work we first started in 1995. Read on to view our project ideas...

Spinifex: Hipsters Gone Ballistic

By EYAL HAREUVENI
February 26, 2014
Sign in to view read count

The Amsterdam-based group Spinifex—named after a tough Australian species of grass—is a modular collective of Dutch musicians. The Spinifex quintet that released its debut, the aptly titled Hipsters Gone Ballistic, is a part of a collective that includes the Spinifex Orchestra (that released its debut Triodia back in 2008 on Karnatic Lab Records), Spinifex Tuba Band and Spinifex Indian Spin.

The quintet distills elements from all the above mentioned outfits, contrasting extremely tight, irregular structures and rhythms with explosive free improvisations and disciplined math- metal precision with playful Indian Karnatic rhythmic elements. All selections are played with sheer abandon and joyful passion, from the first second to the last one.

All compositions feature restless shifts and complex dynamics as well as the highly collaborative and versatile interplay of this well-rehearsed quintet. "Boo" shifts naturally, back and forth between a melodramatic metal suite, minimal yet intense sonic searches and the post-bop solo singing of alto saxophonist Tobias Klein. "Joint Strike Focker" erupts like a supersonic missile, abruptly suspended in mid-flight then launched back into its roaring course. "Rost" begins with Tambura-like drones before it settles on a rare, gentle groove and patient interplay. It eventually climaxes into an inevitable, eruptive coda. "Flying Object Fort Worth—Umeå—Sheffield" finally spices the bombastic dynamics of the quintet with much needed doses of humor and irony. The most impressive piece is an inspired, uplifting cover of Karnatic composer and singer Papanasam Sivan, "Sre Valli Devasenapathe," that sounds like a spin on their fellow countrymen The Ex's Ethiopian covers.

No doubt, the hipsters went on a wild ride.

Track Listing: Hipsters Gone Ballistic; Boo; V; Joint Strike Focker; Rost; Lotigus; Flying Object Fort Worth - Umeå - Sheffield; Waste Land Jam; Sre Valli Devasenapathe.

Personnel: Gijs Levelt: trumpet; Tobias Klein: alto saxophone; Jasper Stadhouders: guitar; Gonçalo Almeida: bass guitar; Philipp Moser: drums.

Title: Hipsters Gone Ballistic | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: TryTone