'Brev Til En Ven' marks the new album release from the Kosmos Trio whose debut release finds its home on April Records.
The independent record label has long served as a beacon for innovative and inspired takes on contemporary Danish jazz. Through the artists that comprise their fantastic roster like the neo-soul twinged OTOOTO or the further-reaching global soundscapes of Kalaha, April Records releases are very much celebrations of the genre's boundless potential and provide an excellent platform for continual explorations into jazz via an ever-increasing crop of phenomenal jazz talent.
Which brings us to the brand new release by the phenomenally talented Kosmos Trio - a collective comprised of pianist Frede Holger Thorsen alongside brothers Harald Hagelskjær on bass and Gustav Hagelskjær on drums. With Thorsen and Gustav having initially met during the esteemed Playground European jazz initiative which strives to provide a platform for burgeoning jazz stars of the future through extensive mentorship and live performances, the two quickly bonded over their like-minded musical sensibilities. Initially meeting following their time at Playground to record music, the inclusion of Harald to round out the ensemble proved to be the final piece of the puzzle. With music flowing effortlessly between the three, the Kosmos Trio was subsequently born leading to the release of 'Brev Til En Ven' some five years later.
The music throughout the eight tracks on 'Brev Til En Ven' display an incredible skill and maturity seemingly far beyond the trio's comparatively young ages. The album's beautiful compositions present the rich elegance of neo-classical pieces while still serving as inspired celebrations of ambient and free jazz.
The album opener, 'Mørkevandring', is a masterclass in restraint and introduces listeners to the fantastic chemistry the trio exude through their playing. There's a poetry in their music and it is effortlessly carried over into 'Slow Motion' and the album's achingly beautiful title track that is wholly fitting and serves as a real testament to the album's performers and their undeniable skill to create pieces of such transcendence.
Both understated and intricate in its delivery and composition, 'Brev Til En Ven' is an absolute gem within a treasure trove of April Records releases which this year alone has seen new music from Alawari and Human Being Human. Highly recommended.
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