Here are a few more releases from Hungary-based BMC Records, a company that specializes in exploring new worlds and sounds.
The Orchestra Nazional Della Luna actually consists of Manuel Hermia-sax/fl, Kari Ikonen/p-moog, Sebastien Boisseau/b and Teun Verbruggen/dr. So much for union rules! The 12 songs include shaking shells and the bansuri flute for the exotic “ Al Qamar”, a galloping pulse for the woodwind on the title tune, a bluesy and dark sax with piano string strummings on the eerie “Myrkkysienikeitto” and a herky jerky jolt for Hermia’s tenor on”Ecocracy” and the tensile “Kaapikkaat”. Vignettes looking for something to tie them together.
Two different bands are on the next album. The first, The Modern Jazz Orchestra, is conducted by trumpeter/flugelhornist/electronician Kornel Fekete-Kovacs. The Foundations band is assumed to be the group of people chanting during the various interludes and segues, but I could be wrong. There is a mix of Buddhist/Eastern meditations throughout, with muted horn teamed with contemplative voices on “Purvahuti-Morning Prayer” or spacousl piano by Bela Szakcsi Lakatos on “Interlude 1”. There’s a bit of big band bop on “Brahmacharya” and nimble voice and piano on “Asteya-Non-Stealing” with a loose order of things for “Shaucha-Purity” and “Interlude #5”. Fluttering leaves falling off of the bodhi tree.
Balance is composed of the trio Janos Aved/sax, Marton Fenyvesi/g and Akos Benko/dr, with the ten tunes being loose and intuitive compositions. There’s some hard rock metal guitar on the jarring “Drum Music/Dobzene”, but Fenyvesi can also get delicate, producing droplets around Aved’s puffs on the edgy “Music Box/Zenedoboz”. Benko is nimble on the gorgeous “Electric 2” with ambient moods produced on “Interlude” and the brooding subtoned “Talisma/Talizman”. Directionless directions.