ETCETERAL - Rhizome

" Etceteral are a Slovenian experimental trio (saxophone and electronics, drums, visuals) who create a propulsive, polyrhythmic futurist jazz. It is a sound marked by abstract modular explorations, hypnotic drumming, ricocheted horn textures and crystalline production. Interzones between dub, krautrock, Afro-rhythms, free improvisation and quantized electronic music are brightly lit on this thrilling second album. The idea of musical elasticity is central to Rhizome, the sophomore album of the Slovenian audio-visual electronic jazz trio Etceteral who debuted in 2020 with the album Ama Gi for Kapa Records. Following a series of domestic and international gigs, the band consisting of Bostjan Simon (saxophone, synth, electronics), Marek Fakuč (drums), and Lina Rica (visuals) returned to the studio, taking their ambition to meld audio and visuals to a whole new level on their debut for the tak:til imprint. On Rhizome, the band explores the interzone between groove-driven contemporary jazz, quantized electronic music, abstract modular explorations and free improvisation. Like rubber that is able to stretch and be returned to its original shape, Etceteral expands its arrangements to the point of no return, pushing its sonic architecture to the maximum without ever letting it collapse onto itself. Given carte blanche to self-produce their second album, they centered it around the concept of rhizome -- a continuously growing horizontal underground stem which puts out lateral shoots and adventitious roots at intervals. The sophisticated songs of Rhizome are interconnected in their structures, growing from the inside out. With its interlocking synth sequence, saxophone ornaments and hip-shaking syncopations, the opening earworm "Meadow Sage" sets the pace of the record, boasting an ambitious and adventurous sonic character. New songs took shape organically through jams, the only exceptions being the intermezzo "Ton 618," a nod to exploratory modular techno, and the IDM-inspired coda "Idler Idol," both arranged as links between adjacent songs. The interplay between synth sequences, the kick drum, and saxophone represents the foundation of Etceteral's sonic realm. Their sound palette consists of the iconic synth Dave Smith Evolver, a saxophone with a MIDI controller, sound effects, and drums. In Pygmy traditions, one of the band's reference points, every singer or musician follows a single theme or rhythm which is then unified into polyphony or polyrhythmic patterns. Etceteral build their sonic architecture from inside out, never fully defining the outlines of their songs. Even though their sequences are quantized, Fakuč only rarely uses click tracks, rather opting for a more instinctive approach to electroacoustic fusionism, which results in a spontaneous flow and jazzy vibe." - Tak:Til/Glitterbeat .