Italian duo
Ozmotic make a sort of glitchy ambient jazz utilizing electronics as well as soprano saxophone and percussion. They've collaborated with artists like
Fennesz (on both of their first two albums),
Murcof, and
Senking, but
Elusive Balance, their first release for Touch, is all their own, and it's easily their most assured, accomplished work. While their previous albums often felt cluttered and directionless, this one is far more spacious and considered. The duo are masterful at constructing expansive, wintry drones and punctuating them with glitches and sweeps of white noise that are acutely organized rather than random and chaotic. Warm, gentle saxophone melodies float above all of this, and it never sounds like the acoustic and electronic elements are clashing with each other. It all seems to have a natural, human flow. The second piece, "Hum," seems to flirt with a sort of orchestral grandeur, gradually revealing choral vocals and symphonic instruments (as well as birdsong), but never getting overblown or dramatic. The album does have some slightly abrasive elements, such as the stammering, nearly industrial drums that surface during "Lymph" and the intense,
Ryoji Ikeda-style glitch during "Being," but even these are somewhat muted and mixed so that they don't sound too jarring. Much of the album is serene but slightly apprehensive, remaining calm in the face of panic.
Ozmotic have developed an unmistakably original sound, and the rightfully named
Elusive Balance is an astoundingly beautiful album. ~ Paul Simpson