Record Reviews

BASSIC CHILL ~ WAVES NOT ON LABEL 02 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2025 Released: 2025 This is the 2nd album by Polish bass guitarist / composer Marcin MajcherekFind albums by this artist, who uses the Bassic ChillFind albums by this artist moniker to present his music. It is a solo album, performed solely on bass guitars. It presents eight tracks, all composed by Majcherek. The music is based on strictly composed melodic themes, which serve as a basis for improvisations by the various bass guitars. The atmosphere is relaxed and serene, and if this album was released say thirty years ago, it would probably be promoted as New Age music, which was later replaced by the Ambient label, but of course these titles mean nothing as far as the quality of the music is concerned. Personally I quite enjoy this music, which offers some tranquility in the hectic world of sound, that surrounds us these days, and I can appreciate the aesthetics and ingenuity of the Artist, who is able to create such diverse soundscapes using a relatively limited instrument, like the bass guitar, out of the usual framework of its modus operandi as a rhythmic instrument. The final track on the album is a paraphrase of John CageFind albums by this artist’s piece 4’33’’, with silence replaced by the sound made by the waves of the Baltic See, hence the album’s title. I quite like that alternative… Overall, this is a pretty unusual and interesting project, very remote from the Jazz mainstream, but firmly embracing improvisation, which I find creative. Definitely requiring open-mindedness from the potential listener, but worthy being discovered.

Updated: 13/01/2026Posted: 13/01/2026

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

HUSMO HAV ~ WAVES DUGNAD 030 ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album by the Norwegian Jazz quartet Husmo HavFind albums by this artist, led by trumpeter Thomas Husmo LitleskareFind albums by this artist and including keyboardist Marte EbersonFind albums by this artist, bassist Stian Andreas Egeland AndersenFind albums by this artist and drummer Tore FlatjordFind albums by this artist. The album presents five original compositions, three by the leader and one each by Eberson and Andersen. The total playing time of the album is just under 23 minutes, which is even under EP timing, not to mention a full album. The music is a continuation of the path taken on the debut album, but is less contemplative and definitely more straightforward, with simple melodic themes and steady rhythmic background, which overall is way less attractive than the debut and almost touches on danceability. The sound, which features the muffled / husky trumpet and the keyboards producing ambient layers of harmonic atmospheric ambience, backed by the steady work of the rhythm section, still works fine and has a lot of potential, but on this album simply does not takes off to fulfill that potential. The proximity to the late electric Miles DavisFind albums by this artist period is a dangerous and treacherous road, since obviously the Master simply stands alone on that pedestal. Overall, sadly this album does not fulfill the hopes seeded by the debut. Perhaps the release was premature, as the short playing time might suggest, but I still keep my fingers crossed for the next one.

Updated: 19/08/2021Posted: 19/08/2021

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend