Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Kandinsky Effect: Synesthesia
The Kandinsky Effect: Synesthesia
ByThis lineup of the Kandinsky Effectsaxophonist and chief composer Warren Walker, bassist Gaël Petrina and drummer Caleb Dolistercame together in 2010 when original drummer Gautier Garrigue left the band soon after its debut release, The Kandinsky Effect (SNP Records, 2010), to be replaced by SNP Records boss Dolister. Although Walker and Petrina are credited with "effects" and Dolister with the use of a laptop, Synesthesia is far from being an electronics-led album. The effects are often used sparingly, or to create subtle shifts in tone or mood; when the balance tips in favor of electronic rather than acoustic sounds, the Kandinsky Effect's indebtedness to contemporary dance music becomes more overt.
The music on Synesthesia has an impressive range as a result of this varied mix of electronic and acoustic. "Brighton" and "Cusba" show the band at its most acousticlovely slices of laidback jazz. Walker's warm-toned tenor saxophone is to the fore on both tunes, but Petrina's "Brighton" is also enlivened by the bassist's upper register playing. "WK51" sits in the Kandinsky Effect's musical middle ground, Walker's smooth saxophone melody counterpointed by Dolister's rapid-fire percussion. The opening bars of "Left Over Shoes," one of two compositions by Dolister, is dominated by his loose-yet-funky drum groove before electronic effects combine with acoustic instrumentation to deliver one of the album's more dance-flavored tunes.
Synesthesia is an inventive album, a relatively rare example of an egalitarian mix of acoustic and electronic sounds. The Kandinsky Effect manages this tricky combination with confidence, crafting music that stimulates the brain and the dancing shoes simultaneously.
Track Listing
Johnny Utah; M.C.; Cusba; WK51; Walking...; Brighton; Left Over Shoes; Lobi Mobi/Hotel 66; Mexican Gift Shop; Lars Von Trier; If Only.
Personnel
The Kandinsky Effect
saxophoneWarren Walker: saxophone, effects; Gaël Petrina: bass, effects; Caleb Dolister: drums, laptop.
Album information
Title: Synesthesia | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Cuneiform Records
Comments
About The Kandinsky Effect
Instrument: Saxophone
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar To