Marijus Aleksa - As They Are (2023)

Throughout his remarkable international career, Lithuanian drummer & producer Marijus Aleksa has established himself as a bonafide shaman of rhythm. From making his debut at the Vilnius Jazz Festival at the tender age of thirteen, he has grown into a stage partner of some of the world’s most celebrated stars (such as Keyon Harold, Grammy award winner Bill Laurance, Joe Armon Jones, Ashley Henry, Dennis Rollins, China Moses, Ben Marc, Anthony Joseph, Femi Temowo, Oscar Jerome). An ambitious drummer and percussionist, he relies on his technical prowess and visionary endeavours. Through his work as a heralded band leader, session musician and solo artist, his music is not unlike the works by the abstract expressionist painters: rich in colour, vivid, intuitive and hypnotising, traversing musical maps by blending the worlds of jazz, rock, world and electronic club music.

With the concept of collage forming a central theme of the record, 23 people from different parts of the world (Lithuania / USA / UK / Cuba) each contributed to the creative flow of the musical creation, forming a rich sonic tapestry - formed of 3 years of recording and re-editing jam sessions, creating a spellbind final piece constructed from smaller pieces that in the first instance may have seemed incompatible. This sensibility was also applied to the track titles, which were created by segmenting common phrases and reforming them. The artwork was also created by Japanese collage artist Mt.Chills.