Izvođač: Spaltklang
Izdavač: Fazzul Music
Izlazak: 2009
Ocjena: 4.4/5
Napokon smo dočekali! Tri godine prošle su od albuma Lontano, a sad je Markus Stauss sa svojim pomoćnicima ipak privršio svoje najnovije remek-djelo, koje se zove En Suite. Markusu vjerojatno možemo oprostiti, jer uvijek ima pune ruke posla i sa svojim ostalim projektima.
Još prije nego što sam album čuo, znao sam da će biti sjajan, jer nam Markus još nikad nije poslužio ništa loše. Postavljalo se samo pitanje hoće li postava nastaviti tamo gdje je stala s Lontanom ili će istraživati nova glazbena područja.
En Suite možda doista ne pokazuje posve novu stranu Spaltklang. I dalje je riječ o sjajnom jazz-rocku, ali je album kao cjelina nešto mirniji. Nema toliko bijesnih trenutaka kao na prethodnim uradcima. Sastav se više usredotočuje na svoje komorne kvalitete te neoklasicističku i folk stranu. Te su stvari oduvijek bile prisutne, ali nikad u tolikoj mjeri. Završni je uradak zato blaži, no donosi baš toliko slušateljskog užitka kao i druge Spaltklang ploče.
Ponovno me oduševljava sposobnost sastava da stvara takve lagane melodije. To je još nevjerojatnije kad pomislim da ih ljudi uglavnom svrstavaju među avangardne sastave. Stauss očito ima dobar sluh za pjevne melodije i to mu i ovdje dobro polazi za rukom.
Prilično je očito da u Spaltklang sviraju sami briljantni glazbenici, ali to znanje nikad ne razvlače okolo. Tehničko znanje manje je važno od ukupnog dojma, no to ne znači da ne znaju svirati. Upravo suprotno! Kad imaju priliku pokazati što znaju, njihove sposobnosti postaju očite. Nijedan instrument nije dominantan, ali svaki član dobije priliku biti u središtu pozornosti.
Što da još kažem? Riječ je o još jednom izvanrednom dostignuću švicarskih velikana. Album je pun raznovrsnih raspoloženja i dojmova. I dalje mi nije jasno zašto nisu više cijenjeni, pogotovo kad se sjetim njihove sposobnosti stvaranja zamršene glazbe koja ipak sadrži dosta melodičnih elemenata. Još sam više razočaran jer sastav iznova stvara tako kvalitetne uradke. Nadam se da će Spaltklang jednog dana ipak dobiti priznanje koje zaslužuju, a trenutno im je vjerojatno najveća nagrada spoznaja da su stvorili još jedno vječno remek-djelo.
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Finally, the wait is over. It’s been three years since Lontano and now Markus Stauss and his bunch of merry men have at last finished their latest masterpiece, entitled En Suite. I suppose we can forgive Markus the long wait seeing as he’s so busy with his many other projects.
Even before I listened to the album I knew that it would be a triumph because I haven’t heard anything bad from Markus yet. There was only a question if the album would continue where Lontano left off, or it would explore new territories.
Admittedly, En Suite doesn’t really show a totally different side to Spaltklang. This is still amazing jazz-rock, but the album is much more subdued as a whole. There aren’t as many fierce moments as on earlier efforts. The band seems to concentrate a bit more on their chamber qualities and their neo classical and folk side, which has always been present, but not to this degree. So what we get is a much calmer album, which brings just as much listening pleasure as any other Spaltklang release.
Again, I am amazed by this band’s ability to come up with such memorable melodies, which is even more incredible if you consider that most people put them in the avant-garde camp. Stauss obviously has a good ear for a catchy tune and he certainly delivers on this front again.
It’s fairly obvious that Spaltklang features brilliant musicians, but their playing is never flashy. The overall sound and product is usually favoured over sheer technical prowess. However, this doesn’t mean that these guys can’t play. Quite the contrary! During the times they let loose, their ability on their instruments becomes clear. No instrument seems to dominate, but every player gets a chance to be in the limelight.
What more can I say? This is another triumphant achievement by this Swiss ensemble. It’s an album filled with so many different moods and impressions. It still defies belief that Spaltklang isn’t more respected worldwide, given their capabilities to produce intricate music, which still contains several melodic moments. It’s even more frustrating because the band produces such quality products time and time again. One day, Spaltklang will hopefully get the recognition they deserve, but for the time being I suppose their biggest reward will be the knowledge that they have produced yet another timeless masterpiece.
Postava
Markus Stauss – saksofoni
Stephan Brunner – električni bas
Oliver Vogt – violina
Rémy Sträuli – bubnjevi, klavijature
Produkcija
Markus Stauss
Popis skladbi
1. Amuse-bouche
2. Von Anbeginn
3. Heartbeat
4. En Suite
5. Ideen
6. Evocazione
7. Open Directions
8. Molto Lento
