Drummer Christian finger puts together an album that would never make you think a guy behind the traps is behind the concept. First, a couple of the tunes feature a Bartok-like Mivos String Quartet which does some wonderful brooding on “Not Gone, Not Forgotten” and “In’s Weltenall 2.” And yes, while Finger gives a workshop on tribal drumming with Jeff Ballard during the nine minute “African Skies, Drumming Lives” for the rest of the session he works more at setting a mood and letting fellow members Zach Brock/violin, Vadim Neselovskyi/p, Dave Stryker-Pee McCann/g and Adam Armsrong/g create music that feels like you’re riding a crest of a wave that reaches the white caps, just to come crashing down into a ripple of rest, as on “Secret Procession” and “Nights Beyond India.” Brock gets a lot of the spotlight, doing pizzicato with the leader on the intro to “African Skies, Linear Lives” before transitioning into a more complex and energetic mode with McCann’s electric guitar adding some extra fever. Both guitarists mix acoustic and electric on the easy sway of “Truth Waltzed In” and guitars meld with violin on the bopping “For Now.” There’s even an impressive vocal track with Bobby Harden teaming with Neselovskyi in the front line on a lovely “Two Faces.” Lots to like here, with a mix of beauty, grace and a dash here and there of dramatic thunder.
Strikezone Records