John Kameel Farah & Nick Fraser - Farahser [Elastic Recordings 010]

Released on May 17th, 2k24 via the Toronto-based imprint that is Elastic Recordings is "Farahser", the new, first and 45 minutes and eight tracks spanning collaborational album effort conceived by John Kameel Farah and Nick Fraser. With its title being a made up composite of the participants last names we experience Fraser on drums whilst Farah takes care of piano, synthesizers and electronics - the latter mentioned oftentimes in addition to an initial foundation laid down in a piano x drum duet setting. Following this practice and workflow the duo creates a sonic landscape shaped by dreamy, yet slightly haunted and score'esque FutureJazz in tunes like the opening Flatland" whilst the highly detailed "Insect Mountain" is quite a tender Jazz improv piece, yet as buzzing and lively as its titel suggests, "Dirge" brings forth a more moody and deeply nocturnal take on stripped down, skeletal DarkJazz followed by the rather mechanical sounding rhythm signatures of "Baby Birds" whilst "Elevator" rounds things off as a slightly meandering almost predominantly solo piano piece which, in a way, gives way to playful romanticisms for a closing.