Short Reviews [Tenk Van Dool & Paul Sears - 2024 - "Aperiodic Grok"]

I first came across Tenk Van Dool when I reviewed the albums by Temple of Switches, and here he is with Paul Sears from one of my favourite bands, The Muffins. Together they have combined to create an instrumental album which contains the enthusiasm and off-piste style of improvised freeform jazz yet has somehow been contained and brought to heel with multiple layers. Paul provides drums and percussion, with some beautiful touches (some of his triplets are to die for), showing just now much a great drummer can add to proceedings both in how he/she approaches the music and what they play/don't play. Tenk provides everything else, from a range of different guitars (acoustic, electric, nylon, 12-string, fretless bass, mandolin) and keyboards (Hammond Organ, piano, clavinet, Solina, Mini-Moog, Mellotron) so the sounds are really quite rooted in the Seventies at times. Sometimes the music is approached from the guitar, sometimes from the keyboards, and while prog and jazz are always at the heart there are times when it gets quite heavy, and others where there is more folk. There are big sounds at play here, huge shifts in style, with Paul and Tenk combining to create something which is playful yet serious, deep yet light, as they move with predictable unpredictability so it is never possible to discern the path being taken, only it is far more interesting than the one which is more well-trod. We get distortion combined with cleanliness, concentration combined with levity, heavy funk from the left hand with blues also making its presence felt and drums which may be simple 4/4, providing blasting rolls, or simple cymbal taps for finesse and nuances. The result is an album which is thoroughly enjoyable throughout, keeping the listener on their toes as to what is going to happen next, and is all the better for it.