AKKU Quintet & Manuel Pasquinelli - Kinema (2023) [Hi-Res]

Recognized as a great visionary force in Swiss adventurous jazz, Swiss drummer Manuel Pasquinelli’s AKKU Quintet have been consistently pushing boundaries and exploring uncharted sonic territories since their conception in 2011.

Their hypnotic 5th studio album continues this saga of exploration, designed for the repeat button and powerful speakers. ‘KINEMA’ is set to release on September 8th on Morpheus Records.

Inspired by minimalist jazz with a post-punk touch, the group has been stylistically compared to the likes of King Crimson, Nik Bӓrtsch’s Ronin, Nils Frahm and Steve Reich. Pasquinelli’s compositions celebrate the pleasure of repetition, skillfully weaving complex metric ideas with cyclical rhythmic cells reminiscent of electronic music.

Recorded over three days at Mazzivesound Studio in Bellmund, Switzerland, the record features a combination of intricate compositions and extended passages of daring tension-fueled improvisation. Each track builds on the last, leading the listener deeper and deeper into the enchanting and benevolently dark world of the ensemble.

Heavily distorted guitars, angular atonal melodies, beefy drum grooves, rich synth timbres and glitchy modern production accentuate the quintet’s immersively energetic live performance, conjuring feelings of exploring a strange, supernatural underwater world.

Since their first live performance in 2011, AKKU Quintet has been praised for their multifaceted and artfully crafted music. They have won the Bern Music Prize, been nominated for the ZKB Jazz Prize, and have performed over 100 concerts around the world including in Germany, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, the USA, Canada and Russia.

MANUEL PASQUINELLI - DRUMS
MAJA NYDEGGER - GRAND PIANO, KEYS
MICHAEL GILSENAN - SAXOPHONES & FX
MARKUS ISCHER - GUITAR
ANDI SCHNELLMANN - BASS