Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

The Remote Viewers - November Sky [Self Release - 2015]

November Sky is the 13th album from London dark-noir to avant-tinged jazz collective The Remote Viewers. The album appeared back in 2015, as a ten-track CD release- and it really finds the band at their more atmospheric & cinematic, yet with enough creative avant twists & turns present to keep you on your toes.

I’m relatively late to The Remote Viewers fairly distinctive take on Jazz- only getting into them at the tail end of last year with their excellent angular-yet- moody Last Man In Europe album. So since I’ve been making my way back through their discography, and November Sky rather stood out to me- due to its rounded balance between dramatic & atmospheric prowess, and subtly experimental edges.

The album opens with the nearing seven & Half minutes of "Easy Money"- this pits forlorn yet urgent horns against creepily haunted house piano work, and peppers the whole thing with darting-yet dark almost ritual percussive detail. As we move through the album we come to the just under three minutes of the title track- and this finds creepy & dramatic interactions between tight bass turns & descend piano notes- with licks of darkly simmering synth string work- all topped off with moodily smoky horn work, that from time-to-time darts off track.

The second half the albums started off with the just shy of nine minutes of "Crowd Figure"- this starts off with a tight matt of almost dense Gamelan type percussion, before moving into a very jarring & unsettling mix of horn honks, vibe key hits, backwards & forward percussive crashers, with later uneasy bass wonderings adding into really unhinged things.  Later on, we get simmer-yet- whistling darkly Noir Jazz of "The Room Above The Square"- which sees taut & nervy piano runs, blended with sinister synth strings, and semi angular bass & horn work.

If you're looking for darkly tinged & atmospheric Jazz, with some angularly & Avant- grade touches I can highly recommend November Sky. And you can purchase this and The Remote Viewers other albums from their website here…this really is a project that deserves more attention, as they really are creating a distinct take on the jazz form.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

The Remote Viewers - November Sky
November Sky is the 13th album from London dark-noir to avant-tinged jazz collective The Remote Viewers. The album appeared back in 2015, as a ten-track CD r...
251025   Detonation! Violent Riders -...
241025   Playful White Fingers - Playf...
231025   The Island - The Island( Blu ...
221025   The Astronaut - The Astronaut...
221025   Smote - Songs From the Free H...
221025   Occulsed - Antegnosis
221025   Owners Of Knowledge - Lost Co...
211025   John Blum - Nine Rivers
211025   Wolf Eyes & Anthony Braxton -...
211025   Hana Haruna - The Sandown Clown
Latest Articles

Xiphos - The Rise And Fall Of The...
Xiphos are a three-piece project that creates an atmospheric and epic mix of martial industrial and neo-classical music, focusing on the tales and legends of...
071025   Xiphos - The Rise And Fall Of...
030925   Third Window Films - A Label ...
130825   HNW fest- Barcelona- 12th Apr...
250725   Raté interview - Walled-in F...
180625   Matthew Holmes - Of razor-sha...
280525   The Residents - Visits From T...
090525   Ennaytch - Of walls, abused ...
150425   Dead, Dead Swans interview - ...
110325   Sebastian Tomb - Walls of unb...
040225   Alien Sex Fiend - Possessed B...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2025. Twenty four years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom