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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Window Seat |
| 2. Ruins |
| 3. Spinner |
| 4. Rubidium |
| 5. Export for Hot Climates |
| 6. Lacker Boo |
| 7. Steepless |
| 8. 4096 Colours |
| 9. City of Glass |
| 10. Trace |
Product Description
Review
Portico Quartet remain famous for two things: busking lucratively on London’s South Bank and employing the lilting gong of their UFO-like hang drum. But things have changed for this four-piece. The band’s wages are no longer thrown into open instrument cases, thanks in part to a profile-raising Mercury nomination in 2008 for their debut Knee-Deep in the North Sea. And last year their man on the hang departed: "I’ve always felt like a fraud at the hang drum," said Nick Mulvey.
It’s no biggie, though. This time out, the pretty, steely sound of the hang – taken up by new keysman Kier Vine – is set further back than on 2009’s Isla, just one sound among many. What this band should be acclaimed for instead is barrelling through time and genres to make bewitching mood music that’s on a par with Jaga Jazzist. Much like that Norwegian ensemble’s last effort, Portico Quartet (the album) is a mazy, fluid, ethereal suite of chamber jazz to get properly lost in.
Whereas Portico’s previous (second) album Isla was in thrall to Steve Reich and his ripple-effect minimalism, it seems Brian Eno, Four Tet and the Brainfeeder crew are touchstones on songs inspired by train journeys, on-tour blues and the soul-quieting effect of dramatic architecture. Jack Wylie’s sax and Vine’s keys weave dark, mournful tapestries around electronic drums and gadget-enabled bleeps and twitches, while the hang presents itself in ghostly samples and squawks and squeaks serve as on-the-road sound effects.
Everything still sounds familiarly Portico Quartet, only fresh, forward-thinking and a little bit tougher. Their arrangements and wide-open ambience remain sparse, but, on InterRailing-inspired Window Seat, are paired with the sort of drifting synths Oneohtrix Point Never is adored for. Ruins and Steepless – the latter featuring London-based Swedish singer Cornelia – carry the Radiohead gene always present in their improbably tuneful experiments. Ravey nightsongs such as Lacker Boo crackle with the electric, ominous energy of Flying Lotus, while Rubidium and 4096 Colours are bleary-eyed, melancholy and shot through with wintry mid-morning light. As journeys go, this one’s endlessly absorbing.
--Chris Parkin
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Portico Quartet still sound like nothing you ever heard before. The Mercury nominated East London based outfit's unique music has expanded to embrace new sonic territories. Drawing on the inspiration of electronica, ambient, classical and dance music as they take their strange, beautiful, cinematic, future music to exciting new vistas where the inspiration of Burial, Mount Kimbie and Flying Lotus rubs shoulders with the textures of Arve Henriksen and Bon Iver and echoes of Steve Reich and Max Richter. But all underpinned by a shared joy in collective music making as the band push their inimitable music into the future.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is an outstanding record, one of the few that should be denoted a classic of the british music scene in the last few years. High praise indeed, given that I've only had it for a few days to absorb. It's pertinently the first record to prompt me to actually write a review about it on Amazon.
I cannot recommend this more highly, no matter what previous listening experience you have had. The musical innovation on the record is outstanding, particularly when you consider that this is a mostly performed record (see them perform material from this live and you'll understand what I mean, they have complete mastery of the raw materials). Anything that sounds even remotely similar to this, of which actually I don't think there is much, will more often than not be produced by one person in front of a computer screen. To be able to create this variety and complexity of rhythm and texture through a 4 piece live instrumental band is sheer musicianship and virtuosity, and to render it on record in such a perfectly produced manner is even more mind-blowing. It's refreshing to hear a record so cleverly crafted, one that takes the listener on a narrative journey, a rarity in these days of fragmented listening and single mp3s.
Ok, time to stop gushing. In short, this is a phenomenally insightful reflection on the myriad interactions between the varied uk dance genres of the last 5 years and a achingly beautiful minimalist instrumental aesthetic - you should buy this.
I cannot recommend this more highly, no matter what previous listening experience you have had. The musical innovation on the record is outstanding, particularly when you consider that this is a mostly performed record (see them perform material from this live and you'll understand what I mean, they have complete mastery of the raw materials). Anything that sounds even remotely similar to this, of which actually I don't think there is much, will more often than not be produced by one person in front of a computer screen. To be able to create this variety and complexity of rhythm and texture through a 4 piece live instrumental band is sheer musicianship and virtuosity, and to render it on record in such a perfectly produced manner is even more mind-blowing. It's refreshing to hear a record so cleverly crafted, one that takes the listener on a narrative journey, a rarity in these days of fragmented listening and single mp3s.
Ok, time to stop gushing. In short, this is a phenomenally insightful reflection on the myriad interactions between the varied uk dance genres of the last 5 years and a achingly beautiful minimalist instrumental aesthetic - you should buy this.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
So after 2 albums of Jazz-influenced acoustic music, the Portico Quartet change their line-up and shift their direction. The question of course, is where to? But it's difficult to pin down and I still detect an element of improvisation, although it's a million miles from straight ahead Jazz.
The first 4 or 5 tracks embrace electronics, sampling and sequencing. The Jazzy elements are disguised, with less prominence to Soprano Sax and the sound of plucked Double Bass.
There is a tendency to set up a repetitive sequenced "hang" or other keyboard sample - this is synchronised with synthetic drum sounds, that were completely absent on the first two albums. After all - if you have a really good virtuoso drummer in the band - why do you need programmed drums? This gives the casual listener something to hang onto, but may deter Jazz fans.
The suspicion is that the band are turning their back on Jazz audiences and looking to attract people who would prefer DJ music in clubs. The sounds are intriguing and hypnotic. They could provide the soundtrack to an up-market, atmospheric thriller - but I suspect the real test will be seeing how the group approach this music live on stage. Will they veer into Free improv. territory or look to get the audience dancing to their programmed beats?
This is a direction that has been taken in European Jazz circles with artists like Nils Petter Molvaer and the sound has a quality that comes from an understanding of real instruments and a lot of playing. There is more interest than in most repetitive dance music.
"Sleepless" is where we veer most markedly away from Jazz and into trip-hop territory and could have appeared on a Massive Attack album, with no incongruity. In fact, the most apt description I could think of was that this album is like Massive Attack meets a European Jazz group - which is not altogether an unpleasant thought - for myself especially, being a fan of both that band and European Jazz.
All in all, this is interesting stuff and I will be fascinated to see how they progress - maybe a "work in progress" - but worth checking out, none the less.
The first 4 or 5 tracks embrace electronics, sampling and sequencing. The Jazzy elements are disguised, with less prominence to Soprano Sax and the sound of plucked Double Bass.
There is a tendency to set up a repetitive sequenced "hang" or other keyboard sample - this is synchronised with synthetic drum sounds, that were completely absent on the first two albums. After all - if you have a really good virtuoso drummer in the band - why do you need programmed drums? This gives the casual listener something to hang onto, but may deter Jazz fans.
The suspicion is that the band are turning their back on Jazz audiences and looking to attract people who would prefer DJ music in clubs. The sounds are intriguing and hypnotic. They could provide the soundtrack to an up-market, atmospheric thriller - but I suspect the real test will be seeing how the group approach this music live on stage. Will they veer into Free improv. territory or look to get the audience dancing to their programmed beats?
This is a direction that has been taken in European Jazz circles with artists like Nils Petter Molvaer and the sound has a quality that comes from an understanding of real instruments and a lot of playing. There is more interest than in most repetitive dance music.
"Sleepless" is where we veer most markedly away from Jazz and into trip-hop territory and could have appeared on a Massive Attack album, with no incongruity. In fact, the most apt description I could think of was that this album is like Massive Attack meets a European Jazz group - which is not altogether an unpleasant thought - for myself especially, being a fan of both that band and European Jazz.
All in all, this is interesting stuff and I will be fascinated to see how they progress - maybe a "work in progress" - but worth checking out, none the less.
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Being a jazz fan in the 21st century is a curious position to find yourself in. I'd imagine it's not quite synonymous with being one in say the the late 1960's when rock music had almost completely replaced jazz as the dominant form of western music (which wasn't completely disimilar to what jazz had done to classical). At that point artists such as weather report, herbie hancock and of course Miles Davis, had attempted to claw a few listeners back perhaps questioning whether a paradigm shift had completely taken place yet. In 2012 thinking in those terms is ridiculous! Rock conclusively won that battle along time ago and being a fan of one particular genre over another is a much less isolated place to find yourself in now. People actively look to broaden their listening habits, taking full advantage of the variety of choice and accessibility available through the internet and utilising the capacity of devices such as ipods and other MP3 players.
The reason i say it's a little strange to vehemently champion jazz in this decade is predicated around the claim that i can scarcely name new artists that are pushing the genre forward whilst achieving any representation or popularity. Enter Portico Quartet a band who i've only just become acquianted with today, even though i've heard of them since they were nominated for the mercury in 2008. If these guys are or were ever a "jazz group" they are certainly moving beyond trumpet solos, delicate cymbal strokes and improvistaion, the sounds on this album sound more studied and deliberate than anything your likely to expect form a jazz record. Sonically they are much more in line with say experimental or art rock bands who dabble in electronics say post ok computer radiohead. "4096 colours" immediately sounds like a reinterpretation of "motion picture soundtrack" with some juxtaposed moody atmospherics and found sounds. And then theirs "City Of Glass" which could of easily made the cut on TKOL RMX 1234567 as Portico Quartets answer to "Lotus Flower". The band also brings to mind elements of sigur ros and laughing stock era Talk Talk, with it's use of beautifully melancholic horns and it's reliance on space and minimalism. The sort of jazz this quartet brings to mind is the glitchy by way of microhouse jazz that herbert brilliantly mastered with his "bodily Functions" album, particularly with there use of clicks and electronic beats that are scattered all throughout the duration of this record.
As you've probably worked out i liked this record and love the music it's been inspired by (or sonically resembles). But it's biggest strengh is also it's achilles heel for me. The music present here is distinctive if you only concern yourself with jazz but if you are an electronic and avant rock fan (of which i consider myself) you'll probably find the ideas and innovations on display here a little to familiar. However it's not beyond the realms of possibility that this talented group of musicians might be able to produce something that is more unique and individual in the future. The group has shown the ambition to move beyond the usual jazz cliches lets hope next time they transcend the rest too.
The reason i say it's a little strange to vehemently champion jazz in this decade is predicated around the claim that i can scarcely name new artists that are pushing the genre forward whilst achieving any representation or popularity. Enter Portico Quartet a band who i've only just become acquianted with today, even though i've heard of them since they were nominated for the mercury in 2008. If these guys are or were ever a "jazz group" they are certainly moving beyond trumpet solos, delicate cymbal strokes and improvistaion, the sounds on this album sound more studied and deliberate than anything your likely to expect form a jazz record. Sonically they are much more in line with say experimental or art rock bands who dabble in electronics say post ok computer radiohead. "4096 colours" immediately sounds like a reinterpretation of "motion picture soundtrack" with some juxtaposed moody atmospherics and found sounds. And then theirs "City Of Glass" which could of easily made the cut on TKOL RMX 1234567 as Portico Quartets answer to "Lotus Flower". The band also brings to mind elements of sigur ros and laughing stock era Talk Talk, with it's use of beautifully melancholic horns and it's reliance on space and minimalism. The sort of jazz this quartet brings to mind is the glitchy by way of microhouse jazz that herbert brilliantly mastered with his "bodily Functions" album, particularly with there use of clicks and electronic beats that are scattered all throughout the duration of this record.
As you've probably worked out i liked this record and love the music it's been inspired by (or sonically resembles). But it's biggest strengh is also it's achilles heel for me. The music present here is distinctive if you only concern yourself with jazz but if you are an electronic and avant rock fan (of which i consider myself) you'll probably find the ideas and innovations on display here a little to familiar. However it's not beyond the realms of possibility that this talented group of musicians might be able to produce something that is more unique and individual in the future. The group has shown the ambition to move beyond the usual jazz cliches lets hope next time they transcend the rest too.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Superb
I first heard this on Jamie Callum's jazz radio. I'm not particularly musical, so not really qualified to write a musical review. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Moose Papoose
Moving in a new direction and producing their best music yet!
I had the priveledge of seeing the Portico quartet twice in Brighton after the release of their first and second albums, I was spellbound and eagerly awaited this their third. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Thomas B. Bridle
Just keep getting better
This is Portico Quartet's third studio album and it is so good on so many levels. It is refreshing to find a band which gets more experimental and takes more risks with each new... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J. A. Wade
Space Jazz
This is the first time I have really listened to Portico Quartet and I was expecting experimental Jazz. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Syriat
OUT OF THIS WORLD MUSIC
Once again The Portico Quartet take us on a Journey of music beyond our spheres,this is their third album followingIslaKnee-Deep in the North Sea and this is impressive stuff,this... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Finbar the looney
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