'Metropolis' marks the new album from the highly-decorated and highly-educated Swiss drummer Marton Juhasz whose wonderful new project finds its home on Unit Records.
As a full-length project, 'Metropolis' raises a lot of timely and compelling questions regarding art and the increasing level of impact that technology plays in its creation. Even beyond just creativity, our reliance on technology as a compulsory part of our everyday lives is already a divisive conversation depending on peoples' comfort with artificial intelligence ultimately adapting by what it learns about you as an individual.
It's the basis of countless sci-fi narratives whereby our very technological achievements and advancements will ultimately lead to our salvation or make mankind the architects of their own demise.
The album's eight tracks - although bursting with joyous imagination and creativity - seems devoid of the aforementioned technological touches that a bustling future metropolis might suggest. No synthesised effects or studio wizardry, no programmed drums or artificially generated musical performances... it's as though the album's principled stance serves as more a rejection of these utopian ideals as opposed to an acceptance of them as the definitive way forward.
Conceived in the vein of 1970s jazz fusion visionaries including Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and the often unsung efforts of saxophonist David Murray, Juhasz has brought a scintillating project to life that revels within its multi-faceted influences ranging from contemporary, African and Latin stylings.
With a quintet that is comprised of Juhasz on drums alongside saxophonist Charley Rose, guitarist Fabio Gouvea, bassist Jérémie Krüttli and Lorenzo Vitolo on Rhodes, listeners are treated to a vibrant and enthralling take on contemporary jazz best captured through some of the album's treasures like the immersive Latin groove of 'São Paulo', the warmth of 'Wren Song', the spirit of 'Winged Travellers' or the Afro-rhythms of 'Ancestral Drift'.
Whichever version of the future we're heading towards, it does increasingly feel that we're hurtling towards it quicker than we may realise. While the 'Metropolis' album cover and accompanying artwork depicts a somewhat picturesque and harmonious future society, it is perhaps one that Marton Juhasz & company are approaching with trepidation but can at least rest assured that their existing musical ideals have generated an incredible project that relishes the joy in creativity and collaboration.
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