Krononaut - Krononaut [Tak:til / Glitterbeat Promo]

Scheduled for release via Glitterbeat offspring Tak:til on September 4th, 2k20 is Krononaut's self-titled ten track album which has been crafted in two sessions by the loose London Jazz collective centred around its two core members Leo Abrahams and Martin France whose abilities - or self-description thereof... - seem to be polar opposite and therefore harmonizing perfectly on this album and within the context of the groups work flow. And the context is Jazz - deep, warm, urban and free floating, reminiscent of Bugge Wesseltoft's "New Conceptions Of Jazz"-series from the very start of the stripped down, fascinating and  nightly grooves of the opener "Jena", gravitating towards twisted, abstract and somewhat twangy structures in the follow up "Mob Kindu" whereas "Leaving Alhambra" drifts off into harsher, brooding and dramatic territories with its intense electronic feedback and heavy, slightly aggressive anti-grooves. "Location 14" sees the collective on a true, minimalistic and partially dubbed out Future Jazz vs. Jazz Noir tip, "Power Law" fully indulges in what could be described as Industrial Jazz / Dark Jazz fusion which would sit well in Illbient sets as well due to its doomed, thundering overall feel, "Cold Blood" weighs in crimescene vibes, a shifting, ever meandering electronic background as well innate score'esque and well off-kilter melancholia coming like a massive hangover of the soul before "Vision Of The Cross" provides true instrumental polyphony, a fever'ish dreamlike ride through partly naturalist, partly somewhat oriental or oriental-leaning sequences for the darkest hours of the night. Furthermore "Wealth Of Nations" gets back into the groove for precarious close up dancing in smoke-filled and danger-fueled bars, "Examen" turns out to be the twisted soundtrack for another ominous dive bar on the same street and the final "Covocation" provides the most complex, sonically twisted hangover one could ever imagine for a well interesting, yet demanding Jazz-infused album - willingly dissonant feedbacks and echoes of down to earth Desert Blues included. One for the dark souls.