L'Antidote - A Quiet Pulse (Ponderosa) [Jazz]

"Harnessing the healing power of music against the chaos of modern times"; with a bold, all-too-pertinent group manifesto like that I was immediately intrigued, and the fact that two of L'antidote's musicians are from currently war-torn Middle Eastern countries: Persian percussive master Bijan Chemiirani is from Iran and Rami Kalife, responsible for piano and electronic augmentation, is from Lebanon, gives the trio, also including Albanian Redi Hasa on cello, serious poignancy.

The trio conceived the project, as so many musicians did, during the age of virus five years ago, but the music only started seeing the light of day last year, when they released their nature infused, self-titled debut album that consummately melted their Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Balkan identities into an evocative, region spanning musical whole. It seems like they've also got a progressive attitude and a good ear for remixers, even enlisting Mercen Dede to give "Na Na Na" a thumping house makeover.

They're not resting on their laurels either. The start of this year saw them release the day dreamy, "Dans Un Rêve", and hot on its heels is the altogether different beast "A Quiet Pulse", which is anything but. The track hooks you instantly with THAT bassline, as urgent, and insistent a contrabass refrain as you'll hear this year. Chemiirani wastes no time joining in the rhythmic dynamics, skittering the groove with hand played and shaken percussion, with Hasa providing a heart wrenching, at times keening, cello line to transport you across the Mediterranean into altogether dustier lands. Then out of nowhere comes a screech of anguish, echoing the cries of the region's fearful and displaced, who are currently, or forever, torn from homes and loved ones. Kalife wisely views the track from afar initially, before providing his succinct, reverb and echo soaked piano that perfectly augments the Middle Eastern tale with its thoughtful and more conciliatory tones. This is fearless, borderless genre fusing music at its best, and a track I would love to hear played live.

---

Playlist Companion

Find the trio in the Slow Jazz Playlist.