Words by Justin Turford

If you like head-snapping drums with a tinge of jazzy noodling (and there’s a lot who do) then Hamburg-based drummer and composer Silvan Strauss is probably your man. I don’t mean the generic jazzy beats, warmly produced but lacking in identity or purpose that I receive so much of. We’re talking instrumental tracks that veer from what sounds like D’Angelo outtakes from the ‘Black Messiah’ LP sessions to twisted funk-laden soundtrack-y joints that sound like they’ve fallen from David Axelrod’s lost tapes box. Silvan is the real thing.

The 2021 Hamburg Jazz Prize winner has been making some noise on Tik Tok and IG with a viral video of him laying down beats whilst spinning a mic around (HERE) and we can definitely hear that he belongs in the same company as UK drummer / composers Yussef Dayes and Moses Boyd as well as Chris Dave, the brilliant US drummer from The Drumhedz, all of whom have had some influence on the young musician. The UK connection is laid bare when Joe Armon-Jones, the acclaimed keys wizard, bandleader, producer and member of Ezra Collective throws down his fusion heavy magic onto ‘Eyes’ over some extraordinary kit playing from Silvan.

This is an album of collaboration embedded in its DNA. Silvan already had a load of short drum tracks that he had recorded in his home studio and looking for inspiration, he sent the parts out to a bunch of musicians and collaborators. Boom. Fifteen collaborators, executive curation from Hamburg-based creator/producer and Kabul Fire founder, Farhot, and a lot of tweaking later, we have his debut album in full effect.

“I want to give people my drums and let people express themselves. Two things I love to do is play drums and connect people. That’s what I do and what I want to do my whole life.”

Every track is under three minutes but they are fully realised worlds of their own. ‘The Snake’ is a prowling beast with its growling slither of a bass line and eerie jazz keys, ‘Bubba’ is curdled Madlib, misaligned drums, fluid slap bass playing, minor chords and an oddly killer hook. ‘The Good House’ is just lovely, floaty jazzy warmth with light keys, guitar and flattened drum sounds that pop without banging. ‘Starting To Smile’ emanates 70s crime soundtrack with vibrato strings, stride piano hooks, love scene wind section and a classy arrangement full of lowkey drama. ‘Shades’ has a superb Gil Evans style brass arrangement (arranged by flautist/ tenor saxophonist Adrian Hanack throughout) and is probably the most straightforward jazz meets hip hop joint on show but again, the class shines through. ‘Teeth’ rolls with a dubby subsonic synth bass, marimba and a skip in Silvan’s drum step, a particularly atmospheric favourite of mine. Throughout, Silvan’s drum playing is full of intricacy and surprises but it’s never overloaded, showing what he is capable of without showboating.

‘Garden’ is coated in dirt - distorted live bass, slinky keys, sleazy yet elegant saxophone and boom bap drums that occasionally jazz-swerve in that Dilla way. Questlove watch this kid! ‘Driver’ really does sound like it came from the ‘Black Messiah’ sessions, its muffled, murky drums and bass and gnarled keyboard lines give this a sexy apocalyptic vibe. Last track ‘Storks’ brings the bass face. It’s got that getdown fusion vibe with loose fingered funk bass, ace clarinet and flute melodies, triple time hats and an all round sunshine vibe. Love it. 9/10

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