Short Reviews [Eclectic Maybe Band - 2023 - "Bars Without Measures"]

Following on from my review of their latest album, 2025’s ‘Cosmic Light Clusters’, EMB band leader Guy Segers (most well-known for Univers Zero) asked me if I would like to review their previous one as well, which is why I am now listening to 2023’s ‘Bars Without Measures’, which was their fourth studio release. The group is much less of a band and more of a collective, where Guy brings together lots of different musicians and singers (here we have 30), some of which have played with EMB previously, some not, and some who will play with the band again in the future, or not. There is then a combination of full improvisation and/or Guy providing a composition which is worked on collectively, with Guy later taking the results and bringing the music together, like an artist choosing colours from his palette as to what works, and what does not, for the final piece. In this way it is similar to both Dr. Space (Oresund Space Collective) and the wonderful Robin Taylor, who have both worked in a similar manner. The result is a coming together of free jazz, RIO, live composition and much more, and results in music which is truly progressive, pushing past boundaries as if they do not exist. It is thrilling and exciting as musicians must find the correct way to work with others they have not previously played with, and there is almost a big band feel at times as there are so many brass instruments involved yet Guy is keeping it all locked down with his melodic and sonorous bass. It is not mainstream prog at all, but something at the edge which is keeping it alive and vital, bringing the punk excitement and chaos into a genre it was supposed to destroy. This is yet another fascinating release from EMB and Discus Music, for those who want their prog to be truly that.