The Necks - Chemist

Boomkat: Australia's Chris Abrahams, Tony Buck and Lloyd Swanton return again as The Necks for this frankly incredible three track album which sees them on their finest form. It's no secret that we're very fond of the Antipodean improvisers here, but this album sees them drop their familiar one-track route in favour of far more bite-sized 20 minute excursions. The first piece, entitled 'Fatal' is where we begin the ride and the familiar sounds of Abrahams on piano (he's one of Australia's most acclaimed jazz pianists), Buck pounding the skins and Swanton on bass - the track builds up in an almost Krautrock fashion, looping percussive sounds and pulsating bass getting gradually more and more dangerous and distorted as it goes on, Abrahams piano rattling and rolling and the guitar noises becoming more and more intense until it ends on an almost noise rock note. Strangely the second piece 'Buoyant' takes a totally different angle, with an electronic drone and glitch which could easily be Mika Vainio in disguise underpinning the band's improvisations, this is a particularly haunting track with the dark lounge feel of Angelo Badalamenti at his finest, I want to call it dark jazz but that wouldn't be doing it justice, it's far far more than that. The best though is saved for last ;'Abillera' is a looping Steve Reich influenced chunk of Krautrock, with the kinetic power and energy of the best of Neu! Or Can, by the time we reach the 13 minute mark the sound is jubilant - pure genius. These guys are simply at the top of their game at the moment, and if you've never managed to check them out before I urge you to grab this album, it's just too too good.



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