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Moritz Von Oswald Trio – Vertical Ascent 8.6

Meshing together dub (a longtime favorite of Von Oswald’s), techno, and jazz into a tasty morsel. Really this could have ended up being one of those tacky cross-pollination wannabes, case in point ‘acid jazz’. Deftly avoiding this pratfall, this is an extremely tasteful affair. 

The percussion comes across crystal clear. Vladislav Delay provides the percussive elements, expanding his palette to include glasses and other unorthodox items. By using these sounds you get a very tactile feel throughout the entire album. It allows for a more relaxed feel. 

Keyboards are used minimally. Moritz plays it, and plays it well. Whether it is the first track’s emotive swells or the stately chords on the third, they fit into place with the percussion. Tones are arranged and mixed by Max Loderbauer. 

Overall, this might be Moritz’s reaction to the clinical techno sound he in part pioneered through Basic Channel, Rhythm and Sound, etc. The austere approach taken by so many artists probably bothers Moritz, like they took his style in vein. What he appears to be doing now is trying to make electronic feel alive by infusing it with a slight amount of jazz. 

Rarely does tasteful and techno ever belong in the same sentence. I really hope he continues with the project, and seeing them live is truly a sight to behold.