The Shadow Vol II
Apollon, 2022
8/10
The Tronosonic Experience, i.e. Ole Jørgen Bardal (saxophones), Øyvind Nypan (guitars and electronics), Jan Inge Nilsen (drums), and Per Harald Ottesen (bass guitar) sure do impress with this 2nd installment of The Shadow, where retro prog-rock, adventurous jazz moments and even some punk filled bouts are in attendance.
After 22 seconds of the ominous atmosphere that is “Undertow (Slight Return)”, “The Shadow Of The New Pretorian” follows with meticulously plucked bass lines and acrobatic drumming that expands across 12 minutes of prog-rock and iconoclastic jazz exploration.
“Supernova” and “Beehive” land in the middle, where the former showcases soulful sax amid a spacey landscape, and the latter booms brightly and escalates into a thumping and loud jazz rocker. “Dunes” exits the listen, and recruits a mysterious, cinematic quality in a haunting, sci-fi sort of way.
An extremely unpredictable and exciting peek into some experimental and avant-garde songwriting, there just isn’t a moment here that’s not worth revisiting.
Travels well with: The Tronosonic Experience- The Shadow Vol !; Major Parkinson- A Night At The Library