FRACTALE — Suranne (review)

FRACTALE — Suranne album cover Live album · 2010 · Nu Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
js
The world of jazz and fusion has become so diverse and open-minded anymore that you feel you have heard it all and then every now and again something very unique comes along. Such is the case with Fractal’s “Suranne” EP. Fractale has an odd lineup that consists of three sax’s, two trumpets, tuba, drums and synthesizer. This is a great instrumental combination that sometimes recalls early big band experimenters with electronics such as Gil Evans and Don Ellis, as well as early horn driven psychedelic jazz rockers like Soft Machine. The difference being that Fractale’s rhythms are less jazzy, but more deliberate in a rock way. Another difference is that Fractale uses a tuba for the low end, instead of a bass, which gives the band a very earthy sound and takes some of the predictable gratuitous ‘punch’ out of the rock beats making the band sometimes sound more like older traditional European music. Many of the songs feature the horns playing persistent repeating lines that are similar to experimental rock in nature but also sometimes feature sections where several horn players will improvise simultaneously in a polyphonic style similar to the earliest days of jazz in New Orleans. This is Fractale’s first release and some freshman issues arise with the production. It would be nice to hear Fractale’s next album with a stronger production including a little more low end and more space and clarity between the instruments. Overall this is a very promising start for a new band, the writing is excellent and very creative and hopefully there will be a lot more to come.
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