Arkinetics
Neuma, 2022
8/10
On this debut album, the drummer and composer Dan Kurfirst blends both complex and simple ideas into the rhythmic 9 tracks that welcomes Daniel Carter (trumpet, woodwinds), Alexis Marcelo (Fender Rhodes, piano), Damon Banks (electric bass) and Roshni Samlal (tabla).
“Peace In” opens the listen with warm beats, radiant keys and sound bites entering a very stylish and rhythmic climate, and “Birth Beats 2” follows with playful bass lines, quick drumming and a glowing, soulful quality that embraces light brass, too, as the setting enters free jazz territory.
In the middle, “Ghost Killers” find plenty of grooves to reside in, where the acrobatic keys, frisky drumming and bouncy bass make this one of the album’s best, while “Dreamscape” burns slower, with an indeed dreamy demeanor with its strong attention to detail and shimmering textures.
“Not Yet” and “Peace Out” exit the listen, where the former emits a mesmerizing tone and dynamic interaction, and the latter finishes much like how it started, i.e. smooth, melodic and full of timeless jazz tendencies.
An artist who has been widening his musical scope as he ages, Arkinetics is worldly, fusion friendly and pays unparalleled to the rhythm section as Kurfirst and company make for a very compelling first record.
Travels well with: Timothy McAllister & Liz Ames- Project Encore, Vol. 1; Lawson & Merrill- Signals