Sometimes in improvised music there can be a distance between listener and players, a sense you’re sitting back and admiring their interplay and abstraction – but with Szun Waves’ second album, you’re right in there with them, inside the playing, experiencing the absolute joy the three musicians feel as they circle around each other, exploring the spaces they’ve opened up. The three members already have sparkling pedigrees of their own. Norfolk’s Luke Abbott is well known for his explorations of the zones between pure ambience and the leftmost fringes of club culture. With Portico Quartet and Circle Traps, Jack Wyllie has been in the vanguard of UK fusions of jazz, classical and club music. Australian drummer Laurence Pike has likewise found a unique voice in improvised and experimental music-making, whether in the bands Triosk or PVT, or as a solo artist. The trio’s musical relationship has grown naturally and steadily, and it shows. From Wyllie adding shimmering sustained sax notes to Abbott’s gorgeous ambient pieces in 2013, Szun Waves emerged when Pike was added to the mix, energising the sound but still keeping its levitational qualities. Their 2016 selfreleased debut album hit a natural groove, and now they’re in a place of pure spontaneity: New Hymn To Freedom is a document of six entirely live improvisations – “no edits or overdubs” – and its title couldn’t be more apt. New Hymn To Freedom is the second album by Szun Waves Szun Waves are prolific electronic producer Luke Abbott, Portico Quartet sax player Jack Wyllie and Australian percussion master Laurence Pike The album is comprised of six entirely live improvisations – “no edits or overdubs” The monochromatic, psychedelic video for lead track ‘Constellation’ was premiered by XLR8R in May, while the track was launched by Mary Anne Hobbs on her BBC 6 Music show The album will be available on CD, digital, double black vinyl LP + CD and very limited edition double white vinyl LP (indies only) Vinyl editions include an exclusive, side-long bonus track, unavailable elsewhere.
London launch show at Spaces Gallery on Thursday August 30 Szun Waves will tour an ambitious, multi-media live show in Europe later in 2018 For fans of James Holden, Floating Points, Rival Consoles, Don Cherry, Suzanne Ciani, Polar Bear, Nils Frahm, Mark Pritchard, Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Cluster, Pantha Du Prince, Four Tet
Szun Waves are:
Luke Abbott – synths (Earlham Mystics) Laurence Pike – drums (Triosk, PVT)
Jack Wyllie – saxophone (Portico Quartet, Circle Traps)
Szun Waves | New Hymn To Freedom | CD
1. Constellation
2. Fall Into Water
3. High Szun
4. Temple Moon
5. Runes
6. New Hymn To Freedom