Consentrik Quartet
Blue Note, 2025
9/10
The always impressive guitarist Nels Cline returns with a 4th album on the Blue Note label, where Ingrid Laubrock, Chris Lightcap, and Tom Rainey join him for the wealth of grooves, swingin’ fun and plenty of calmness, too.
The warm guitar of “The Returning Angel” opens with a rare intimacy, as Laubrock’s rich sax complements the ambience, and “The 23” follows with Lightcap’s frisky bass plucking that suits the animated sax and atmospheric guitar.
“Allende” lands in the middle and provides a bit of mystery in a cinematic fashion of poeticism, while “Inner Wall” is strong on tonality via the background droning and soft waves of emotion.
Residing close to the end, the upbeat and rich “Down Close”, a late album highlight, allows for Rainey’s meticulous drumming to shine, and “Time Of No Sirens” exits with gorgeous restraint, profound grace and colorful yet cautious instrumentation.
This is the debut of Cline’s new band and it yields the quality of songwriting we’ve come to expect from him, where lush moments, sonic intrigue and pretty jazz shimmering leaves us in awe.
Travels well with: The Nels Cline Singers- Share The Wealth; The Nels Cline 4- Currents, Constellations