Short Reviews [Jahroom - 2015 - "Cut-Price Goods"]

Alexander Nenashev (bass) and Timur Dzhanzakov (drums) initially found each other through a website in 2010, coming together due to a love of Bad Brains. After they had been playing for a few months they came across guitarist Rasel Rahman in the same manner, and the three of them started playing heavily improvised avant garde, experimental, industrial, stoner, progressive, punk jazz rock. It was after one of their shows in St. Petersburg in 2014 that they recorded an album live, with a few additional musicians joining in on sax and trumpet. All their songs have the title “Cut” followed by a number, and the impression is certainly that they have been jamming together and seeing where the music takes them, then going back and deciding what sections work best. It can be really melodic and bouncing along one second, with complex drum and bass patterns providing support to a fresh and inviting guitar (example “Cut-7”) or it can be dark and totally off the wall. Originally self-released in 2015, after signing with the no name label, this was issued as a double CD combining the album with their debut EP released from 2012. The sound levels are far more muted, but even at this early point in their career they show some incredible skills, with massively complex interplay and runs. This is another Russian band who are taking areas such as krautrock and making it their own with a refusal to conform and are creating their own music with total disregard to whatever else may be happening in the scene. No name may not have one, but they are building a reputation for discovering and making available some of the most interesting and truly progressive bands around and long may it continue. Not for everyone, and not something I would want to play all the time, but certainly well worth discovering.