Action Jazz
The first release in four years under the Møster! moniker finds Kjetil Møster and his compadres stretching ever further the refinement of their genre-hopping sound. With more production work being taken on by Jørgen Træen, the quartet finds itself freer to pursue the ultimate in cross-pollination.
With jazz as a distant reference point which seems to recede into the background, the album opens with a flourishing whirl of strings, wavering horns and an impending sense of drama, but soon breaks free and the quirky instrumentation and unexpected directions pull the listener in. The electric guitar is harsh against the sweetness of the reeds and Kenneth Kapstad‘s tribal drumming finds them pursuing an ethno-jazz direction briefly before a sturdy rhythmic progression takes hold. The sax leads the charge but is pummelled by the others and it just feels as though everyone is desperate to be heard.
On “Afterpiece”, the shivering sax builds thoughtfully like a busy insect around the slowly unfurling flower of guitar. This duo interplay is key to the Møster! sound; they play off one another, never failing to complement while the rhythm section is busy on another plane, preparing the shifting sands upon which the sax and guitar duel. The pieces have very different characters and there is intrigue in the diversity of rhythmic backdrops, with all four players adding to the motion with a subtle melody then appearing. The second part of “Spaced Out Invaders” drops the progressive element though and things slow down to an atmospheric drift. We feel cocooned as landscapes drift by, lulled by the wind and the deep-down insinuation of rhythm. Kenneth’s drumming is different on every track and bassist Nikolai Hængsle matches him mood for mood, with dub becoming a point of reference as the album moves on. The spiky guitar and elastic bass on “Torsional Pendulum” certainly nods in that direction and the distorted studio as instrument atmospherics of closer “Atmospheric Entry” really nail the point home.These inferences are still only part of an ever-evolving arsenal. “Knuckles To The Ground” has a hefty post-punk bassline in which you can almost see Nikolai’s fingers zig-zagging along the frets, while “Liquid Fumes” is an ethereal, sultry drift; Hans Magnus Ryan‘s flecks of guitar spattering against the smoke of the sax. Towards the end of the last track and as a final hurrah, Kjetil’s sax escapes the gravity of the hypnotic repetition and tight interplay, and brushes the sky with a scream of spiritual jazz uplift. It is like he has been saving this for the end as a firework display to round the adventure off and it is a great final stretch.
Springs is a real delight, but the quartet along with producer Jorgen, seem to be on another plane; together yet apart. A smooth mix in which you can hear every constituent part. A triumph.-Mr Olivetti-
