Transliminal Rites
Orenda, 2021
8/10
A very creative fusion outfit consisting of Eyal Maoz (guitar), Frank London (trumpet) and Guy Barash (electronics), as EFG Trio they bring their respective talents to an improvisational, classical and jazz influenced landscape that’s highly unpredictable and experimental in very unconventional ways.
“Descentered Romance” starts the listen with mysterious ambience in its brief but impactful opener, before “Graphéphelia” follows with playful trumpet alongside atypical electronics as the setting turns into an avant-garde version of jazz.
Deeper into the listen, “Hot Metonymy” recruits an ominous quality amid the cinematic swells, while “Polysemia Deluxe” spends 7 minutes mesmerizing us with both its minimal tendencies as well as the dizzying manipulation that bridges synthetic with organic. “Ouisa!”, one of the album’s best, then pairs unpredictable flashes of brass and jagged guitar with the sparse electronics in a sci-fi sort of way.
Nearing the end, “Transitional Phenomena” offers a 1 minute display of futuristic ideas that are quite fascinating, and “Sweet Thanatos” exits the listen with focus on the trumpet, where much grace and soulfulness comprise the cautious finish.
Transliminal Rites was actually recorded in 2016, but was deemed just as relevant today, so the trio put some final touches on the album and sent it out in 2021. Certainly atypical, but embracing hallmarks of jazz and classical that are timeless, you’re not likely going to hear anything like this elsewhere, and you’re probably going to want to revisit it often.
Travels well with: Ken Field- Transmitter; Wesley Fuller- Seven By Seven