Max Arsava - Nowhere Dense [Aut Records]

Released via the ever expanding Aut Records label on November 29th, 2k23 is "Nowhere Dense", the latest album outing conceived by the Max Arsava-led quintet which, beyond its leader, consists of Max Hirth, Ignaz Schick, Alex Bayer and Flo Fischer. Employing a set of instruments including turntables, voltage controlled sampler and further electronics alongside a more standard acoustic instrumentation the group is, roughly speaking, influenced by a mathematical and topological concept of infinite porosity described as a "Nowhere Dense" over the course of the 50 minutes and a total of eight tracks spanning album, embarking on a highly advanced musical journey with the playful and curious Glitch x Electronica opener named "Digital Monads" followed by the sparkling, shimmering pianos melodies of "Utility Dust" which are accompanied by distinct crackles and tectonic low end shifts as well a late light leaning Avantgarde Jazz attitude. Furthermore the subsequent "Interior Motives" combines lively FreeJazz improvisations with additional, yet subtle scratching, the 10+ minutes spanning "Mager / Choral" brings forth dramatic, yet stripped down piano chords and tense, unsettling scraping of unknown origin alongside ghostly mechanical movements surely able to induce nightmares and intense paranoia in weak-heartened souls before drifting off into more peaceful and calming Jazz teritories whereas "Adherent Terrain" serves a gazillion expertly executed sonic details per second and yet manages to remain highly structured and tempered despite supposedly being an improvisational piece. With the follow up that is "Gif Ooze" the ensemble explores a field of swampy, bleepy and somewhat retrofuturist electronic sound generation, the "Inchoate Decline" presents a somewhat funky, swinging and surely seductive underlying groove for all real Jazz aficionadios whilst the final "Bit Debris" serves quite a bit of decaying sonic information in the form of digital crackles and electronic processing for a closing. Interesting stuff, this.

Album artwork on Instagram!