Words by Justin Turford

I find myself overusing the word ‘dread’ these days when writing about some new music being produced these days but then we are living in unsettling times. The Dave De Rose led improvisational project Agile Experiments is unbelievably on its 11th release in four years and this one, perhaps more than the others, is shrouded in this uncertainty. Not in the incredible music, nor in the multi-limbed focus of the players but in the feeling, the vibe, the tonal shadows of 21st Century life that we find bothering us.

It says a lot about Dave’s attitude to creating that despite being a top flight and in-demand drummer, he doesn’t touch them here, preferring to play bass and FX. That job goes to Go Go Penguin’s Jon Scott, another flexible rhythmic powerhouse who has played with Mulatu Atstake as well as (the now retired) Sons Of Kemet. No slouch then. Closing the trio’s circle is George Crowley on saxophone, synthesisers, loops & FX. A veteran of Agile Experiments since the first release and a member of the anarchic Melt Yourself Down (alongside playing for Yazz Ahmed), he brings a contrasting sensual release with his expressive sinewy melodic lines.

These are three musicians at the top of their game, we can clearly hear the trust between the players as they circumnavigate each other, allowing space, the profound space which is everywhere, never too much going on. The dubby ‘an appeal to your senses’ fractures and reboots in different variants throughout but never loses its core of calmness. ‘if you believe’ is the first showing of that dread I suggested. Exceptional Jaki Liebezeit-esque drum work from Jon, with a prodding, dark, subby synth bass and echoing saxes and FX washes exuding pressure. More saxophone. The bass is now a live bass, rolling notes, the percussion clattering in the high end, then to rest. Rest of sorts comes with ‘exhale’, a wobbling drone, ever-shifting funked up hats and snare action and George’s sax switching between a bagpipe sounding filter and a clean, improvised jam with Dave’s live bass. God, the production is good.

The krautrock / Can / Jaki Liebezeit references strikes triple hot as Jon locks into ‘der funky drummer’ groove on ‘genome’. A short but sharp shot to the veins, this is ALL about the drums. ‘open to it’ with its lysergic kalimba sounding loop, circular drum pattern, and a sound system breaking synth bass are the bedrock for George’s most fluent playing so far on the record. The piece literally ‘opens’ up halfway through, a whole layer seems to appear without obviously appearing. Again that hint of dub, of abstracted jazz-funk, and other stories. The four to the floor motor of ‘escape from the city’ reminds me a little of the more frenetic tracks on the ‘Plants Heal’ record Dave recorded with Dan Nichols late last year but with a steely toughness instead of the pastoral poetry of that album. An electronic pulse, hyper percussion, discordant synths and a distant broken saxophone, that propulsive, prodding bass again, filtering into Photek Sci Fi territory. This isn’t escaping, this is running for your life in an acid-tinged Uber ride. As the countryside creeps closer, the atmosphere changes on the song, more spacious, dare I say, comforting after the journey. The final track (and the soundtrack to the video with dancer Maria Pisiou above) is ‘one mind-spirit’. Easily the calmest piece on the album, perhaps it is a meditation to close the chakras, close the circle once again. You’ve made it to the country after all, perhaps there is a happy ending? It’s a lovely piece that reminds me of David Sylvian for some reason but without his existential angst.

A supreme record made by a trio of world-class players who make improvising sound easy. 10/10

Released on 4th November 2022 on DDR Records

Pre-order HERE! https://davederosemusic.bandcamp.com/album/these-are-times-for-mind-and-spirit