Short Reviews [Aether - 2023 - "Aether"]

Aether came together almost by accident, to work on Andrea Grumelli (bass, Chapman Stick)'s Jazz graduation thesis. Andrea Ferrari (guitars, keyboards), Andrea Serino (Fender Rhodes, keyboards) and Matteo Ravelli (drums, electronics) stayed with Grumelli to integrate modern influences of post-rock and progressive rock, where jazz-like harmony and atmospheres of the Northern European jazz school are accompanied by sounds and rhythmic solutions typical of progressive rock, with the use of synthesizers and electronics. They describe the outcome as being reminiscent of an amalgamation of the progressive sounds of Genesis, the Nordic and evocative jazz of the ECM, the guitars of David Torn and King Crimson, and the jazz-rock of Terje Rypdal, the Lifetime Trio and Perigeo. Undoubtedly some of that is true, particularly the references to David Torn and King Crimson, but there are also times when this drifts along way too much into New Age and even Lounge Jazz. There are some brilliant passages here and there, but also others where it feels that is meandering along with little in the way of focus or direction, a combination of improvisation and scored material where no-one is really sure of where they should be going or what they need to do to get there. The result is something which should not be played late in the evening as it is guaranteed to send the listener to sleep as there is little here to really capture the attention, and I soon found myself wondering how much longer there was to go and whether there was anything dramatic likely to take place. There is always a need for contrast, no matter if music is gentle or metallic, and when there is nothing, the result can be a falling into blandness, and that is what we have here. Not one to which I will be rushing to listen to again.