Maxximus
Trytone, 2025
9/10
The Amsterdam outfit, Spinfex, celebrate 2 decades together with these elaborate 6 tracks that enlist an expanded line up.
The cozy “Smitten” starts the listen with the hazy winds and crisp percussion emitting warmth and richness, and “Sack & Ash” follows with a loud presence, where Philipp Moser’s drums and Jasper Stadhouders’ jagged guitar make an impression.
Halfway through, “Phoenix” allows for Gonçalo Almeida’s playfully plucked back to shine in both bare and busy bouts, while “Springend” blends noise and jazz rock into an unclassifiable and exciting album highlight that makes great use of John Dikeman’s sax.
Close to the end, “Annie Golden” spends 14+ minutes mesmerizing us with soft versus busy gestures, and “The Privilege Of Playing The Wrong Notes” exits with a calm droning before the mashing of noisemakers enters, where Tobias Klein’s clarinet and Bart Maris’ trumpet won’t go unnoticed.
An incredible performance of free jazz, punk rock and chamber inspired moments, let’s hope that Spinifex have enough gas in the tank for another decade of their inimitable vision.
Travels well with: Patricia Brennan- Of The Near And Far; Jussi Reijonen- sayr: salt/ thirst