It's perhaps fitting that master Chapman Stick player John Edmonds would name his CD Subzerosonic. After all, he does live and record in the isolated mountains of Anchorage, Alaska, an area not known for heat waves. What is hot however are the intense grooves that the musician cooks up here. His Stick work is impeccable, and surrounded by a bit of percussion, Edmonds has created seven tunes of complex progressive fusion that will have every King Crimson, Frank Zappa, or ECM staple Terje Rypdal fan take notice.
I hear some distinct Trey Gunn influences throughout the CD, especially on track two, "Oymyakon", a bouncy piece with lyrical solos, tribal percussion, and odd time signatures, sounding a bit like modern era King Crimson. Edmonds goes for some trance like grooves and soundscapes on the dreamy "Ust' Shchugor", while "Northice" is a tappers delight, featuring all sorts of weaving complex lines that spiral in many directions but make perfect melodic sense. Of course, if you are into moodier fare, there's the dark "Olympus Mons", where Edmonds' Stick creates some ominous sounds that could easily be mistaken for an electric guitar.
Subzerosonic may not ba a CD for every occasion, but its relaxing nature has a calming effect that will intrigue your senses. Proggers as well as jazz fans will love the dreamy yet complex nature of this CD from John Edmonds, so turn down the lights, put on some headphones, and enjoy the sonic peasures it has to offer.
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