Avin Omar's voice makes time stand still on best jazz album of the month
Translated from Swedish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Goran Kajfes' Subtropic Arkestra released a new EP featuring Swedish-Kurdish singer Avin Omar.
- The EP blends jazz, electronic music, and folk influences, with Omar's vocals praised for their captivating quality.
- Music critic Po Tidholm awarded the EP the highest rating, calling it the best jazz album of the month.
Goran Kajfes' Subtropic Arkestra has released a new EP that, despite its short format, offers a "whole world" of sound. Music critic Po Tidholm of Dagens Nyheter awards it the highest rating, declaring it the best jazz album of the month.
She is a schooled voice with a presence that makes time stand still, both a cultural carrier and a cutting-edge artist.
The EP features the distinctive trumpet style reminiscent of Miles Davis, combined with modern beats and electronic elements. The collaboration with Swedish-Kurdish singer Avin Omar is highlighted as a particularly strong point. Tidholm describes Omar's voice as having a presence that "makes time stand still," praising her as both a cultural carrier and a cutting-edge artist.
The music itself is characterized as a slow unfolding of long tracks, creating "droning, swinging, and at times wild encounters" between jazz, progressive rock, and folk music. This approach builds on the legacy of Swedish jazz pioneers like Christer Bothรฉn and Bernt Rosengren, while incorporating contemporary electronic influences.
The long tracks unfold slowly into droning, swinging, and at times wild encounters between jazz, prog, and folk music.
This EP is the first in a series where the band collaborates with various vocalists. Other recent jazz recommendations from Tidholm include Sebastian Andreu Bergstrรถm's "Solera," Mariam Wallentin & Vestnorsk Jazzensemble's "Spring Flood," and Kjetil Mulelid's "Piano, Unfolding."
Yes, this is just an EP. But still a whole world.
Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
Image: We jazz records