published: 18 /
4 /
2015
Label:
Leaf Label
Format: CD
Disorientating butinnovative sixth album from jazz experimentalists Polar Bear, which is soothingly disturbing and exhilirating in equal measure
Review
The surprise start to the new Polar Bear album comes from Asar Mikael, the owner of Jamaican cultural institution The Light Shop in Tottenham, which is where band leader Sebastian Rochford also comes from. His spoken word wisdom on opening track 'Life Love and Light' paves the way for this exercise in freewheeling jazz funk.
Almost straight from the beginning, Polar Bear create an unwitnessed and introverted freeform of tender fragility. Polar Bear are adept at ambitious new folk and avant garde, melting tenderness and grooves with magical ease after years of teasing the ear. Soothingly disturbing and exhilirating in equal measure, they are of similar effect and listening pleasure to me as the Chicago Underground albums which I championed about a decade ago.
Jazzy finesses set the tone. Humble breezes and snappy percussion build up this one hour, six track session. Its merit remains deeply soulful thanks to an introverted calm and warmth. The level in experiment never shies off from the gentle steady little pushes and beats heard that can be heard from the onset. Eerie as jazz funk sometimes can be, 'Same As You' has many moments of merry disorientation. Quasi field recordings, slightly tricky electronica and minimalistic keyboard touches are a more than welcome addition. The saxophone though acts as a prime mover.
'Of Hi Lands' marks the finest amongst the many, many highlights. Castanets engaged in a battle with a fiddler produce a rhythm you may not have heard before, in your lifetime. So subtle and ever so gentle, this album is a great adventure.
Track Listing:-
1
Life Love and Light
2
We Feel the Echoes
3
The First Steps
4
Of Hi Lands
5
Dont Let the Feeling Go
6
Unrelenting Unconditional
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/sebastianroch
http://www.polarbearmusic.com/
https://twitter.com/polarbear_uk
https://soundcloud.com/polar-bear-musi
http://polarbearmusic.bandcamp.com/
Label Links:-
http://www.theleaflabel.com/en/index.p
https://www.facebook.com/theleaflabel
https://twitter.com/theleaflabel
https://www.youtube.com/user/theleafla
https://plus.google.com/10909849748304