Pulsar Trio - Zoo Of Songs (2018) [HDTracks]

The Pulsar Trio has once again created a very fine, highly playful and consistently entertaining ethno-jazz album, "Zoo of Songs". Musically grown even closer together and precise as a clockwork, the new pieces present themselves with organic-stringent texture and some new timbres in the familiar Pulsar Trio robe. A few of the pieces are inspired by the work on the dance play "Flugmodus" with the dancers of the Laura Heinecke Company.
With their unusual line-up of sitar, piano and drums, they are actually already conspicuous enough that we should refer to the present album as part of our magazine. But we are more interested in what they do with their instruments. And that is exactly what we like so much. Because they deliver intelligent music, which is nevertheless no head music. It seems to come from the stomach instead. Even jazz novices should have no problems with the music of the trio, unless they come from Lady Gaga and the likes. On the foundation of rhythm provided by creative drummer Aaron Christ, pianist Beate Wein moves as a sovereign link between rhythm, harmonies and melodies. Sitarist Matyas Wolter usually fills in the free space with shimmering sounds, if he is not thrown into the rhythm work, so that Beate Wein can intervene more in the melodic event. For special moments then electronics are usually used in the form of various effects or as rhythm loops. But neither too often nor too strong. Again, they have hit the right level. In contrast to the predecessor "Caethe's Dream" of 2016, they stay consistently on the new album of the given cast. The sound is noticeably louder than last, which, while the intimate character of the small cast is lost a bit, but the sound has now much more space.