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Recorded back in January on a trip to Senegal, Daxaar begins with enchanting strums in a Ali Farka Toure-like mood, with Isa Kouyate welcoming the listener through his singing and kora playing reminiscent of Baaba Maal or Ba Cissoko.

The tempo rises in the album’s title track altering the mood completely as well as the intense percussion the electronic expertise of Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet cranks up the pace to Konono #1 style trance. Boris Netsvetaev’s organ sounds are superb, tiptoeing on top of Steve Reid and Khadim Badji’s beats. ‘Daxaar’ surpasses any label of genre, suitable for all dancefloors from Dakar to Dalston.

Having really enjoyed Steve Reid’s Spirit Walk, I was a tad lost in the experimental freeness of his more recent projects with Four Tet. In Daxaar, the abundance of awesome grooves returns with Steve Reid leading a fantastic ensemble of multi-skilled musicians. The standard of playing is outstanding throughout the record. ‘Jiggy Jiggy’ is an excellent jazz funk track with a lush trumpet solo from Roger Ongolo and a gliding rhythm that rolls and rolls. ‘Dabronxxar’ bridges the Atlantic with a clamouring beat and more quality trumpet playing, this time a ghostly beauty circa Erik Truffaz or Fulvio Sigurtà. As the tune evolves over 10 minutes the incessant beat maintains its intensity while the bassline thumps along reminding me of Bobby Valetin’s ‘Batman Boogaloo’.

‘Big G’s Family’ moves with clattering chimes and another melodic bassline plus trumpet solos which outshine the guitar. As the percussion dominates towards the end of the tune, once more the enthralling playing entrances me. Looped rhythms are added to with more lush instrumental layers in ‘Don’t Look Back’, here the flickers of guitar standout sounding similar to moments in the recent monumental release by deep house don Timmy Regisford ‘African Jazz’.

To coincide with the release, a live show on Tuesday 20th November at the Barbican is scheduled as part of the London Jazz Festival. A mouth-watering prospect, Four Tet joins the Steve Reid Ensemble plus The Heritage Orchestra are also on the bill.

Links:
Steve Reid
Steve Reid and Kieran Hebden
Four Tet
Domino Records
Boris Netsvetaev
Fulvio Sigurtà
Timmy Regisford
Barbican Centre