Eurojams! Edition: Forever Pavot, Goran Kajfes Subtropic Orchestra, Melange, Causa Sui & James Holden & The Animal Spirits

Forever Pavot: La Pantoufle

It’s time for another voyage across the ocean, to Europe – home of some of the more interesting music being made these days … yes, it’s another edition of Eurojams. We’ll begin the journey in France with Emile Sornin who is becoming a RecommNeds regular with a string of releases as Forever Pavot. The latest record is Le Pantoufle and is possibly his best yet. The music is a heady, modern take on prog-rock: grandiose, groovy and more than just a hint of humor (maybe even more than a hint if you have your French-English dictionary handy). The album works track by track or digested as a full opus, another chapter in the continuing saga of Forever Pavot. Enjoy!

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Goran Kajfes Subtropic Orchestra: The Reason Why Vol. 3

There’s always some crazy shit to be discovered in Scandinavia, so let’s make our next stop Sweden. There we find Goran Kajfes and his Subtropic Orchestra. Their new album is The Reason Why Vol. 3 and one listen will have you scrambling to catch up with volumes one and two. On the surface this would appear to be a jazz ensemble, but very quickly they origami-fold themselves into all sorts of new shapes: from deep feet-moving afrobeat and brain-tickling psychedelic with all points in between. Technically, this is a covers album, but it doesn’t feel that way at all. The best part is how the band lets the music breathe and develop – it goes on just long enough to be extra satisfying. This is an excellent record, highly recommended.

Spotify

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Melange: Viento Bravo

For whatever reason, the weekly Recommends don’t get to Spain too often, which is a shame, I’ve personally always wanted to visit. Maybe someday. But for now, how about a listen to the new burner from Madrid band Melange? Viento Bravo is out on the never-disappoints Beyond Beyond Is Beyond label and is right at home in their typical mind-bender oeuvre. Jammy, jazzy, exploratory … this one is right up your alley, I can just feel it. Enjoy!

Spotify

https://melangemadrid.bandcamp.com/album/viento-bravo

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James Holden & The Animal Spirits: The Animal Spirits

As far as I know, England is still in Europe, so I think this one counts. This may already be on your radar, but if not, you simply must check out the new album from James Holden. The electronic producer is working with The Animal Spirits and the collaboration has yielded one of my favorite releases of the year … it’s kind of catch-you-off-guard good. The music plays like a spiritual awakening, tracks of pure, ecstatic grooves that feel infinite in all directions. This is ecstatic, make-you-happy stuff. It’s not often that I make the time to just listen to a track on repeat, but I’ve done it with several on this album. Give it a proper listen all the way through.

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Causa Sui: Vibraciones Doradas

What, you thought you were going to get away without me plugging any Danish jam bands? That’s right, the perennial RecommNed, Causa Sui is out with another record this fall and, surprise!, it’s five tracks of totally sick jamgasm. If for some reason you are not yet hip to these guys, the new “mini record,” Vibraciones Doradas is as good a place as any to dig in. And I you already know, then you already know and my work is done here!