Aguirre Belgium Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Both of Joshua Abrams first two albums have been reissued this month, and this is the debut from 2010. At the time the artist said it was written with a view to countering "the commodification of time and the diminishing attention span that accompanies it by offering music with an irresistible groove, rooted in the sinuous rhythms of the human body and the full play of our senses." He sure pulled it off with elan across six tracks built around his own playing of the guimbri, a North African three-stringed bass lute. This is intoxicating, non linear avant-jazz that is utterly meditative.

Review: After Dinner is like one of those molecular gastronomy adventures, where dishes are both playful and highly complex, not necessarily revealing themselves until the very end. Done with talk of food? Let's just say this is a loose art collective led by a composer called Haco, who were concerned with taking musical plurality and splicing disparate elements together to create a kind of friendly Frankenstein's monster of sound.

And friendly it definitely is. Considered a true one-off of Japanese pop-art rock-avant garde, Paradise of Replica is jaunty, it's amusing, it's beguiling and, ultimately, incredibly immersive. There are moments where the clash of pianos plucked straight from a comedy of manners opera and rough electric guitars (to give one example of the juxtapositions) feel rather strange, but it doesn't take too long for you to get sucked right into the centre of this insane sonic universe.

Review: The debut recording from The Ancients, an intergenerational trio featuring Isaiah Collier, William Hooker and William Parker initially formed to play Milford Graves' Mind Body Deal exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. This double LP captures the raw energy and improvisational brilliance of their live performances, showcasing the enduring legacy of free jazz. Collier's tenor saxophone soars and wails, drawing on influences from John Coltrane to Charles Gayle, while grounding his explorations in a deep understanding of structure and form. Hooker's drumming is a force of nature, a whirlwind of polyrhythms and explosive energy that pushes the music to its limits. And Parker, a true legend of the avant-garde, anchors the music with his virtuosic bass playing, creating a foundation for the trio's improvisational flights. The music is both a celebration of the rich history of free jazz and a bold exploration of new sonic territory. The Ancients tap into the spirit of their predecessors, channeling the energy of the Cecil Taylor Unit and the Ornette Coleman Trio, while forging their own unique path, the power of collective improvisation looming large throughout.

Review: Originally released on tape by SicSic in 2014, Aprilnacht commemorates a decade of music from Brannten Schnure and marked the spring in a tetralogy of albums about the four seasons. When it was first released, Brannten Schnure consisted solely of German musician Christian Schoppik; it was only after this period that he'd continue to hone is gothic folk romanticism and pastoral neoclassical sound, thereafter enlisting the help of vocalist Katie Rich as well. Now reissued by the esteemed Aguirre Records, Aprilnacht returns for a second haunting, retro-spectrally calling to mind its eerie sound collages and dusty sampler assemblages.

Review: Released in 1971, this experimental jazz album stands as a defining moment in Noah Howard's career, capturing his vision of music as a "sound painting." A blend of free jazz and Dutch improvisation, the album features Howard's alto saxophone alongside an eclectic mix of musicians, including Misha Mengelberg (piano), Han Bennink (drums) and Earl Freeman (bass). The album opens with a disorienting space duet between conga and electric guitar, setting the stage for a primal and intense exploration of sound. As the musicians join in, the music evolves into a fierce clash of American free jazz and European avant-garde, where rhythmic energy and dissonant piano clusters intersect with Howard's lyrical yet passionate saxophone lines. The album's complex interplay of structure and improvisation reveals Howard's quest for originality, influenced by jazz legends but never imitative. It showcases his belief in the spiritual essence of jazz, channeling cosmic energy through his compositions. Despite challenges, such as guitarist Jaap Schoonhoven's discomfort, the session results in a high-energy fusion, full of vivid contrasts and sonic exploration. This work remains a powerful, enigmatic piece in Howard's catalogue, illustrating his distinct, boundary-pushing approach to jazz.

Review: Recorded live at Silvermine College of Art in New Canaan, Connecticut, in 1969, this album captures the raw energy and experimental spirit of the late 1960s jazz scene. The ensemble, led by Bobby Naughton on piano and electric piano, features Mark Whitecage on saxophones, James DuBois on trumpet, Mario Pavone on bass, and Laurence Cook on drums. The compositions, including 'Around Again' and 'Nital Rock,' showcase a blend of free jazz improvisation and structured melodies, reflecting the innovative approaches of the era. The album's reissue offers a fresh perspective on this obscure yet outstanding free jazz recording

Review: 'Mondays at The Enfield Tennis Academy' consists of two LPs of long-form, lyrical, groove-based free improv by acclaimed guitarist & composer Jeff Parker's ETA quartet. With longstanding guitarist Parker leading this peculiar corner of spiritual psych-jazz, the album is a sprawling, deft saunter through absolute talent. This is all free improv, eschewing standards so as to show off the ingenuity of the members involved.