Issue 483

The Embassadors Coptic Dub Nonplace/ Fuse At first glance, 'Coptic Dub' really shouldn't work. Combining the rather disparate genres of cool, mildly improvised jazz with dub production and grooves isn't the most obvious thing in the world to do, but somehow, the whole thing hangs together and manages to be one of the best jazz albums of 2009. This is the second album for The Embassadors, a group that exists largely as the brainchild of New Zealand-born multi-instrumentalist Hayden Chisholm, who also holds the world record for longest unbroken tone on a clarinet (51 minutes, in case you were wondering). 'Coptic Dub' presents a vast departure from their first, more world-jazz influenced album, and it's all the better for it. The whole thing is held down by the double bass playing of Matt Penman, his slinky, low grooves working on both melodic and rhythmic levels, particularly on tracks like the hypnotic Dagaz Eterna or the funky Albino Maori Dub. Chisholm and co-producer Burnt Friedman dip and duck throughout the music on a plethora of melodic instrumentation, everything from Korg synthesisers and Hammond organs to steel drums and samplers. The combination just works, despite bringing so many unusual elements together. It's dense, amazing stuff, the locked in grooves of the dub rhythm section strangely complimenting the improvisational melodic playing. While it has no true musical equivalent, texturally the music here is somewhat similar to the more groove-oriented works of film composer Angelo Badalamenti or possibly former Bad Seed Barry Adamson. Ultimately though The Embassadors make their own way through jazz, defying easy descriptions - 'Coptic Dub', with its dark, cool grooves and odd electronics is one of the most original, intriguing and just plain excellent albums you'll hear all year, jazz or otherwise. Patrick Lang