PORTICO QUARTET — Isla (review)

PORTICO QUARTET — Isla album cover Album · 2009 · Nu Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
Portico Quartet’s ‘Isla’ is distinctive nu-jazz with a moody, sombre feel. The group are sometimes likened to Radiohead – and there’s something fitting about the comparison, if taken as a statement about the darker, even melancholic atmosphere both bands can create. But rather than this notion (which isn’t the only tone they display in any event) what I find most surprising in terms of sound, is the ‘Hang.’ The Hang is a little like a large, cymbal or UFO-shaped bell that sounds a bit like a steel drum, often played with hands and fingers. On ‘Isla’ it features as both a percussive and lead instrument, stealing the show at times.

The band’s second album, and their last to feature Mulvey on the Hang, ‘Isla’ is an at times urgent, often reflective series of generally composed pieces dominated by Wyllie’s soprano and tenor. There is a strong emphasis on the melodies throughout, whether the rhythm section is being unobtrusive or somewhat busier. In fact, one of the great rewards of this album is the attention to dynamic throughout, exemplified in ‘Dawn Patrol’ and ‘The Visitor,’ where the rhythm section evokes the swells of an ocean and where the lead voices are careful to build, and who are certainly willing to play softly when needed. This is also apparent on more minimalistic pieces, such as ‘Life Mask’ one of the most interesting songs on ‘Isla’ – becoming a tender ballad after a semi-tortured intro, and featuring subtle sampling throughout.

One of my other favourites is the highly memorable ‘Clipper’ where bass and drums show a little more aggression between a series of softer passages that almost ache, in what could pass as a stunning pop song – similar ground that’s visited on bonus track ‘Subo’s Mental Meltdown,’ but with a slightly funkier approach.

In a landscape stuffed with modern jazz classics from the last sixty or more years, and nu-jazz still going strong for at least a third of that, Portico Quartet have definitely caught my attention. I’ll be looking for their debut, along with their self-titled 2012 release, and anticipating more great music too.
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