Zu
Igneo

What a thing!

For this CD, you can already find a cryptic review. Only that the same author of the aforementioned cryptoblabla says "I know, this review can't be useful unless you know them." Besides, it doesn't even hurt, as it gives all the reasons to encourage you to get to know them. But I'm made this way. Pe(r)don me.

Zu are Italian and they are ska; ska in the sense that they shake things up. They shake your ears, your brain, and even your feet (yes, your feet) because they catch your brain. They are drums, saxophone, and bass, with numerous collaborations from more or fewer prestigious and/or famous names from the worldwide jazz/avant/blabla scene. What they do, they don't tell you; they play it for you. Let's do this: I'll put it on a comparative level, so I'll hurry up as my friends are waiting for me for a beer.

Take contemporary jazz and insert it, or better, deconstruct it into an insane autarchic-improv-mathematical structure in the style of the best Ephel Duath, a touch of math rock like Ahleuchatistas or Don Caballero, bizarre stuff, in short, add a saxophone that seems like the evil cousin of John Zorn. Schemes that have only the name of a scheme, reprises, returns, inclusions, themes that overlap and clash with each other in a huge orgy of sclerotic songwriting. Mind-blowing stuff.

This CD is strong. Intellectual pogo. But also not. 9/10