AETHER — Aether (review)

AETHER — Aether album cover Album · 2023 · Nu Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
snobb
"Aether" is this Italian quartet's self-titled debut album. The band themselves state that their influences are King Crimson, ambient music and Nordic guitar jazz. Heavily based on synth/Rhodes sound, for my ears they sound more closer to mid-late 70s English prog band Camel. After the 70s, Camel lost the brilliant songwriting of their earlier music and switched towards a more synth-based sound.

Aether takes from Nordic guitar jazz its ambient sound, but leaves aside strong folkish component and icy cool aesthetics. The album's sound is warm and soft, almost polished and resonates pretty well with Italian prog bands of the 70s. Some added rockish guitar soloing doesn't generate a lot of fire and obviously is more of a decorative origin. On the more rock-like pieces, like "Pressure", "Moving Away" or "Crimson Fondant", Aether sounds like one of the many bands from the mid-late 70s.

Invoking some strong elements from a few different musical scenes, the band does inherit some known problems coming from the past as well. The lack of memorable compositions combined with a very comfortable sound can be a problem for some listeners coming from a rock background. Ambient elements, extracted from Nordic jazz don't work all that well separated from strong regional aesthetics and jazz improvisation as well as partially different techniques.

Impressive debut, taking more risks and searching for more expression of one's own face possibly will be an improvement.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Sued, Nandayapa, Bergmann, Saunders : Mad Dream Avant-Garde Jazz
BRUCE SAUNDERS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Juno What It Is Jazz Related Electronica/Hip-Hop
MATT TWADDLE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Blue House Session Hard Bop
MUNEER NASSER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Camera Obscura Post-Fusion Contemporary
PIERRE VAIANA
Buy this album from MMA partners
21days Post-Fusion Contemporary
SUKEZA BAND
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Juno What Time It is
MATT TWADDLE
js· 18 hours ago
Sukeza Band - When She Dreams
SUKEZA BAND
js· 1 day ago
Zac Harmon - Stop the Killing
ZAC HARMON
js· 1 day ago
Richard x Bennett - SCAVENGER in 6 parts
RICHARD X BENNETT
js· 3 days ago
Rangelands (feat. Josiah Joyce & Ben Thompson)
COLIN TRUSEDELL
js· 4 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed