Led by producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Mark de Clive Lowe, Japanese jazz band Rōnin Arkestra have released a stellar new project, bridging the gap between jazz and electronic music beautifully.
8 tracks and 46 minutes in length, this album brings a diverse array of sounds that beautifully intertwine with each other and bring a lot of beautiful, angelic energy. The gorgeous intro “Lullabies of the Lost” makes way for the sublime and textured “Onkochishin,” a track that is layered with drums, guitars and keys throughout, making for an energetic and frantic track. The tempo and intensity of the album seems to keep that same energy. The gorgeous drums and horn melodies on “Elegy of Entrapment” are beautiful, while the colourful melodies on “The Art of Altercation” are a highlight on the album. “Cosmic Collisions” features some emphatic piano keys that completely stun me as I listen to the track expand and flourish, with emphatic keys and horn leads overlapping and drums beating away. The energy on “Fallen Angel” is riveting, with synth leads adding texture to the track as a whole. “Tempestuous Temperaments” is a track that grows in intensity, with drums and keys dominating the soundscape, creating a moving and enthralling end to the album. Overall, this is a fantastic introduction to the band, and I hope to hear a lot more exciting music from then in the future.
Listen to Rōnin Arkestra’s brilliant new album Sonkei below via Bandcamp and don’t forget to support! Released via Albert’s Favourites.
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