"Off-kilter jazz crew Ebi Soda" release their third album, 'frank dean and andrew' with 11 tracks that takes other worldly to another world.
.Leftfield jazzy downtempo fans have a new favourite group; especially if you add some cinematic OST, dubby, avant-garde, punk into the mix.
Ebi Soda are 'jazz-disruptors' as we are told these tracks evolve from countless hours of jam sessions which is perhaps most evident in the seamlessly cool compositions rather than any angular 'free' jazz elements.
Kicking off with one of the longer tracks, 'bamboo' it sets the tone whilst 'toucan' flys high into the sky (Ed. might be one for Guinness to investigate) whilst much of the album is in the moody of dubstep on jazz (like 'location' - Ed. Croydon?) but I hear more Jah Wobble's PIL period punk-dub. And on 'milk in my console', with added trombone, I think of the spirit of Rico plus the eerie 'freely' with string quartet(?).
Jianbo adds a rap to 'red in tokyo' which doesn't sound out of place with the other tracks but previous single, 'when pluto was a planet and everything was cool' (see review HERE) does stand out even though it's a bit different - what would Jerry Dammers have made of this if he was given the producer reins?
The album ends on the 11 minute tour de force, 'insectoid creatures are infesting the land' when build upon the excellence of the previous ten tracks.
As a reminder, last year when I was chatting to Tru-Thoughts head honcho Robert Luis at We Out Here Festival, corto.alto were 'the' hot jazz collective (and subsequently their album was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize "Album Of The Year" 2024) and this year, I won't be surprised if 'frank dean and andrew' is shortlisted for the Mercury Prize "Album Of The Year" 2025!
Having featured on Soul-Jazz's compilation 'Kaleidoscope (New Spirits Known & Unknown)' along with loads more on the jazzy new wave, Ebi Soda have found their time whether they know it or not.
BUY LINK: https://truthoughts.ffm.to/frank.OPR
Artwork by Ez Goomi: ezgoomi.com
Artist: Ebi Soda
Title: frank dean and andrew
Release date: 19th September, 2025
Label : Tru-Thoughts Recordings
Catalog Number: TRUD466D
Format: Vinyl / CD/ Cassette / Digital / Bandcamp
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