Christer Bothen / Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin - Serpentine (Black Truffle) [Jazz]
- The Slow Music Movement
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's August 16th Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***
The first two Ghosted albums were on repeat at TSMM HQ when they dropped, two and four years back respectively, and according to me at time were rich in “extended, insistent grooves, ritual percussion and mantric minimalism”, you know all those good things that I keep raving about month in, month out. Well, the trio: Ambarchi on guitar, Berthling on bass and Werliin on drums are back, this time with Swedish multi-instrumentalist Christer Bothén on board for this album of jazz-not quite-jazz-minimal-not quite-minimal-but-good-definitely-good music, that was recorded back in 2023 in Sweden, but which, probably due to the Ghosted triptych, is only now seeing the light of day.
The trio settle straight into their trademark grooves, Berthling and Werliin perpetrating this year’s most lethargic yet hypnotic groove, whilst Bothén’s clarinet and Ambarchi’s Hammond-sounding guitar gently spar - hinting at livelier times ahead. “Antigorrite” is initially not that time, but stick with its eight-minute-long transcendental, outernational first half as, egged on by Ombarchi, the quartet eventually erupt into cosmic glory. “Lizardite” adopts a lolloping Afro-Jazz groove, Bothen with his Donso n’goni sitting in for Berthling’s bass, as Ombarchi’s chameleon-like guitar work comes through like a cascading harp for a spiritual jazz win. The album closer oddly ditches the ritualistic rhythms for a moodier, lower gravity, freer jazz finale, and, whilst it has serious merit, probably belongs on another recording. But don’t let that distract you from the other thirty-six minutes which are just stunning.
Playlist Companion
Find them in the Slow Jazz Playlist.
