Fearless, loud, soulful -Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes’ Heritage of the Invisible II in a nutshell

Fearless. Loud. Soulful. 3 words to sum up Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes’ new collaborative album Heritage of the Invisible II. As members of the incredible New York-based jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements, the talented trumpet-and-percussion duo have excelled at creating music with a sense of urgency and necessity. On Heritage of the Invisible II, they take that energy to new heights, with a frantic, cacophonous and bold album that sounds equally as electrifying than anything they’ve created so far. I’ll go further in saying that it may be one of the better jazz releases of the year.

There’s an odd sense of cohesion and structure to this project, one that is subtle but powerful. These 10 tracks create a mood that captures all facets of human emotion, from the love-filled and classic piano-led piece of “M.O.N.K (Most Only Never Knew)” to the energetic trumpet-led piece on “Plantains.” The drumming throughout the project is eclectic and follows a unique pattern and rhythm, as it rumbles on “Initial Meditation” and “$$$ /// billete”, exploding more into life on tracks like “Father” and “Remix by Madam Data”. The drumming on “NAVARROHOLMES” is absolutely flawless. The trumpet leads that are emotive, while the drumming rumbles ferociously in the background. The way each percussive instrument meanders between one another is just incredible to listen to. The tone and unsettling energy of the entire album is incredible, but the more playful melodies balance the sound of the album perfectly. The colourful and beautiful melody of “Pueblo” is rhythmic and poetic, capturing the raw and textured beauty of their incredible music. The subtle drumming on “A Night in NY” builds as the track progresses. The percussion-heavy rhythm of that track, as well as the emphatic trumpet-led melody are excellent, and the mystifying vocals of Brigitte Zozula make it quite a moody and ethereal listen. The dance-centric closer “Remix by Madam Data” is a bold and daring way to conclude such a lively and raw project, but again it captured an urgency that I haven’t quite felt in a jazz album so far.

Heritage of the Invisible II is a fascinating album, showcasing Aquiles Navarro and Tcheser Holmes’ incomparable chemistry and their propensity for madness. Their music is incredibly beautiful, with tense yet soothing sonic frequencies that capture their raw and utterly mesmeric sounds perfectly. Definitely one to listen to and check out, big up!