Ergo are Brett Sroka (trombone, computer), Sam Harris (piano, prepared-piano, Rhodes electric piano), and Shawn Baltazor (drums), with their new album for Cuneiform Records out now and titled As Subtle As Tomorrow. 'Subtle' is a good word to describe the music of Ergo, as the band fuse minimalistic jazz with electronic as well as ambient textures for a sound that floats, drifts, meanders, stabs, and explores without ever creating too much of a stir, but remains intriguing nonetheless. With a constant yet gentle rhythmic underpinning by Baltazor, tracks like "A Warrant", "As Subtle", and "That Never Came" deliver haunting, mysterious imagery, with lonely flights of trombone and electric piano coming across as mournful and at times creepy. It's not till "A Conviction" that the paces picks up, this one a more swinging slice of jazz sprinkled with piano, trombone, and intricate drum fills. The complex, almost free-jazz piece "Yet But" also sees the trio in more upbeat fashion, while the lengthy closer "A Name" brings together both the avant-garde and jazz styles of the album, with some passages reminding of the somewhat terrifying early material of the great Tangerine Dream before lush, majestic jazz flourishes come sweeping back into the mix.
Not an album that's going to wow you with sizzling instrumental passages or memorable melodies, As Subtle As Tomorrow allows for the musicians to create plenty of atmosphere, experimentation, and space. It's an intriguing listen that's definitely worth investigating.
Track Listing
1. as tomorrow (6:15)
2. A warrant (3:30)
3. As subtle (4:07)
4. That never came (6:03)
5. a conviction (6:18)
6. Yet but (5:52)
7. a name (10:17)
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