An original and highly effective genre-crossing sonic tapestry that most certainly can resonate with all sorts of adventurous music lovers across the globe. This is strange beautiful music that rewards attentive listening.
On paper it seems very promising. Bugge Wesseltoft, the versatile Norwegian pianist / keyboardist, Henrik Schwarz, the prolific DJ and producer from Germany, and from Sweden, the one and only Dan Berglund, the great double bass player of the legendary e.s.t. and the outrageous outfits Tonbruket and Fire! Orchestra. When three highly individual-sounding creative forces with many fantastic releases in their discographies get together, expectations are high, even though you’re not quite sure what to expect. You just expect something wondrous, something inventive. The problem with expectations is that they can often cause you to miss great things. Is Trialogue what I expected it to be? Not quite. Does it fulfill its promise? Yes, it most certainly does. In fact, it’s even better than what I expected. I think no one was expecting something quite like this. When starting the relationship with Trialogue, one should drop all expectations and just give in to the eclectic and unpredictable charm of the music. Let it have its way with you, let it sweep you into the mystifying unconventional.
Instead of gentle strokes of drum brushes and shimmering cymbal activity which you often hear on many contemporary, spacious ECM-style jazz trio records, Schwarz mainly generates mellow electronically-enhanced, organic-flavored percussion patterns that are spacious but also otherworldly. On top of that he judiciously adds little clever glitches and odd twists. Berglund provides groove and drive with lovely, deep trembling and occasionally slightly gritty basslines. At times he also uses the bow to generate his penetrating pensive cello-like sound. Wesseltoft (grand piano, fender rhodes, synthesizers and percussion) assertively decorates without overshadowing his co-conspirators. His keyboard work is dynamic and crafty yet accessible and captivating. In a couple of the tunes, members of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg spice the music with their instruments: violin, viola, violoncello and bass trombone. Everything intertwines into a rich and spatial unified whole filled with elements of jazz, electronica, techno, rock, ambient and classical music. There’s structure and melody, but you can feel the glow of the spirit of improvisation throughout the entire album.
These eight tunes (number eight is a cover of the famous classic “Round Midnight”) are absorbing and full of nuance. They are mostly quiet and mysterious, dreamy yet not sleepy, always gripping, and hold a gentle sense of sonic futurism. Soul, atmosphere, tension and mutual intensification are the main attractions here, there’s no empty, grandiose technical show-off. No one sets the tone, no one leads the way. It’s a delicate, reflective and powerful affair. A true collaborative effort. Headphone listening is warmly recommended. These three talented musicians draw inspiration from so many corners of the musical spectrum, and together created an original and highly effective genre-crossing sonic tapestry that most certainly can resonate with all sorts of adventurous music lovers across the globe. This is strange beautiful music that rewards attentive listening. Let’s hope we’ll hear more from this boundless triangular union. If you haven’t yet, I also recommend on grabbing a copy of Duo—Wesseltoft and Schwarz’s debut joint creation from 2011.
Trialogue is available on Jazzland.
http://youtu.be/2CJrAI-2RF0
