Is It Jazz R

Soft Ffog: Focus [CD]

Krokofant: 6 [CD]

Datadyr's new album "This We Know" is a more mature and confident outing from the young band. The band is still inspired by traditional American music like jazz, blues, bluegrass and folk but with a greater focus on songwriting and structure than their debut from 2022. The album also reflects an outsider's view on current events in the states, political and otherwise. It's easy to get caught up in the old romantic image of America, especially growing up in Norway surrounded by and idolizing American art and media. The current state of the nation is one far removed from that idealist view the band grew up with, and this album is about the process of realization and eventually accepting that a place that produced so much of what you love is now responsible for so much of what you hate. For fans of Bill Frisell, Terje Rypdal, John Scofield, Bushman's Revenge + + +

Bushman's Revenge: All the Better for Seeing You [CD]

Leagus: Flora Eallin [2 Vinyl LP]

Leagus: Flora Eallin [CD]

Solstein is not your typical 2020s fusion affair. A lot of inspiration has been taken from the funkier, more melodic end of the spectrum, with the band name-dropping The Crusaders, Idris Muhammed, early Bob James and 70s Herbie Hancock. Given some of the member's prog backgrounds, there are also echoes of the jazzier side of prog, like Camel, Happy the Man and some of the Canterbury scene bands. Holm-Lupo and Carlock's shared love of Steely Dan also shines through in a number of tracks. More than anything, though, Solstein is a playground for the musicians, where everyone was given free reins to do whatever they felt the music needed. If it put a smile on everyone's face, it was deemed right. The result is an album that is accessible yet adventurous, colourful, groovy and engaging.