This British quartet was formed in 2014 by young guitarist Alex Munk, a fan of the gritty, rock-powered guitar improv of New Yorker Wayne Krantz and UK electronica trio Troyka, but also of the more convivial lyricism of Tigran Hamasyan and Pat Metheny. They deftly shift between taut grooves and the ostinato-packed sub-themes that populate Munk’s music, and the guitarist’s silkily curling phrasing and rugged rhythm changes make an engaging combination. Bliss Out is a groove-shuffle between Matt Robinson’s piano and the rhythm section (Conor Chaplin on electric bass and Dave Hamblett on drums), Emotional Math Metal joins looping keyboard minimalism to barging Krantz-like chord collisions, the reflective Peace Offering highlights the close melodic understanding of Munk and Robinson, and A Long Walk Home – with Chaplin on upright bass – has a seductively Metheny-like country-folk lilt. A faintly generic air clings to this music, but this is a talented foursome engaged on a creative work in progress.
