Reviewed: 2018-05-05
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Bartsch’s music consistently follows the same aesthetic vision under various instrumental guises: creating the maximum effect by minimal means. Despite the multiplicity of the band’s influences, Ronin’s music always possesses a strong individuality. They incorporate elements of disparate musical worlds, amalgamated into a coherent new style, employing simple patterns unconcerned with downbeats or expectations and mantra-like modules (or "Moduls," as Bärtsch chooses to title his works) of sheer minimalist groove that expand, contract and expand again at the whim and will of both composer and players.
If You Like: Vijay Iver, Egberto Gismonti, Steve Reich
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Modul 60 (5:08) – piano starts> slow jam> quick stop
*2/ Modul 58 (13:38) – piano starts, quiet & slow> slow jam slowly expands, then shifts into rocking uptempo jam> electric piano solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
3/ A (8:51) – synth starts with modulating riff> slow jam> swings to midtempo> piano/percussion duet> pause> piano/percussion duet> melody shift> midtempo funk jam with repetitive riff on keyboards> melody shift> midtempo jam> melody shift> midtempo jam> quick stop
4/ Modul 36 (11:01) – slow drone starts> slow space jam> pause> slow jam with repetitive piano riff builds in volume & intensity, then shifts to midtempo jam> fade> false stop> slow jam> slow fade