Kave — Kave
Opening with the silky smooth "Cambium," Kave waste no time showing their cohesiveness. Subtle, effective bass pulls the synthy swirl forth and drags the listener with. Unsure of what lies ahead, this jazzy number is both style and substance. Departing from expectation, "Hibernation I" has some Jan Hammer-like synth warbling and soulful vocals. Minimal but still powerful, the spaces in between the layers make the vocals even more impactful. Kave are really showing their collaborative restraint and the song is all the more effective for it. The opening tracks showcase the slower, minimal side of Kave, and the album picks up from there. Songs like "Destination North," "Giant Peach," and "Hermit" all differ in speed, but carry along with compulsion. Oscillations crawling forth with synthy layers blowing in the breeze, these tracks show the more playful, almost techno side of the quartet. One would be very surprised if an electronic improv quartet didn't have some bit of chaotic madness on their album, and Kave is there to help. "Toxic Boy" sees the foursome doing their bit of randomness to add some chaos to the first side. Rounding out the album, Kave revisits the quite cool that made "Cambium" work so well. It's moments like these where the Rohrer and gang shine. The vocals again come to the fore and there is a sense that the band is making strides for a cause, like they're here for a purpose. Even if it's just striving to keep music alive, interesting, and thought provoking, it's well worth it.
Composed improvisationally, Kave revels in restraint and showcases smoothness. With nine tracks at just over forty minutes, Kave is a quick treat that begs for consecutive spins. The skill of the players and the varying approaches keep the album fresh after repeated listens, which bodes very well for this album's timelessness. Improv can go awry with one stray modular patch, but Kave never even comes close. This is a tight and impressive album.