Short Reviews [Compassionizer - 2020 - "Caress of Compassion"]

Compassionizer is a new band led by Roz Vitalis band leader and keyboard player Ivan Rozmainsky and is actually named after the 2007 Roz Vitalis album of the same name and is seen as an offshoot of that. As with that release, woodwind plays an important part in this RIO-based album, and while the band name and album title may lead one to think that this album is quiet and delicate, it has far more in common with Art Zoyd than one might imagine from looking at those alone. I have been a fan of Ivan’s music for many years, and have heard a lot of his albums, from his own band and others, and one of the things I have always enjoyed about his music is that he rarely puts himself to the front but often acts as a backdrop for others and that is very much the case again here. However, his delicate piano can sometimes be placed to the fore when it is the right thing to do such as on “Caress of Compassion #1” where he starts the piece before the clarinet comes in to provide the warmth against the sterility. There are times when some jazz elements come into play, but as with most of his work it is the not knowing what is coming next which really makes this stand out. There is a huge use of space within the music, so much so that one feels it is possible to climb inside and just rest on the stave as the notes go floating by. Contrast and dischord combine with delicate melodies to create something which is best played on headphones where it can be enjoyed to the full. The way the notes fail during “Beware of Evil Workers” is such a clever touch, one which immediately heightens the senses as we all wonder what is going to come next, and the Tangerine Dream style interlude which follows is certainly unexpected, and all the better for that. I recommend a darkened room, a glass of brandy warming in the hand, and let the music take you on a wonderful, incredible journey.