Having dropped the Jazzist bit out of their name, undoubtedly
to reflect the move from main jazz influences to a more
openly rock-based sound, the ten-strong formation returns
with their latest offering, conjointly released by Smalltown
Supersound and Ninja Tune.
Founded by Lars Horntveth
back in 1994 when he was just fourteen, Jaga Jazzist
went on to become one of the most successful Norwegian
outfits around. After two albums released on local labels,
the band was picked up by the Norwegian branch of Warner
Music and recorded A Livingroom Hush in 2001,
before being snapped up by the excellent Smalltown Supersound.
With A Livingroom Rush, the band began to incorporate
some electronic textures into their sound. The process
was taken further on The Stix, released a year
later.
After a two-year hiatus during which Lars
Horntveth released his debut solo album, Pooka,
Jaga return with their most upfront record to date.
Having worked for months on countless demos and allegedly
reached a creative cul-de-sac, the band discarded everything
they had worked on, took a break then locked themselves
in a studio out in a Norwegian forest and recorded a
handful of improvisations in just one take. This, known
as the Spydeberg Session, served as the matrix for What
We Must. Captured for the first time is the sound
of Jaga live. Followed relentless editing and mixing
sessions, but the original energy remained well and
truly at the centre of the work. Described by the band
as their ‘rock’ album, What We Must
is a far more upfront and incisive record than its predecessors.
From the outset of All I Know Is Tonight, with
its wall of guitars, hypnotic bass and drums, later
on augmented with a strong wind section, the tone is
set. Despite the momentum constantly waxing and waning,
this composition illustrates perfectly this switch from
the partly sanitised soundscapes of The Stix
to the truly organic nature of live Jaga. All the way
through What We Must, there are echoes of My
Bloody Valentine, Spiritualized,
and even Godspeed scattered over the more traditional
jazz-infused layers. Stardust Hotel, Oslo
Skyline and Mikado all offer copious amount
of vigorous energy, while even the quieter Swedenborgske
Rom shows sign of hyperactivity for a short while.
Elsewhere, Jaga carve the delicate For All You Happy
People in blocks of guitars and breezy horn section,
serving a perfect light entremets in between more consistent
compositions.
With their fifth album, Jaga have once again redefined
their musical playground, injecting some of the raw
electricity that has characterised their live set for
years, without compromising on the more subtle side
of their music. If this album is not entirely as satisfying
as some of its predecessors, notably A Livingroom
Hush, it gives an insight into what the band is
truly about, and for this alone, is definitely worth
its while.
3.9/5 |
