Utopia (Luaka Bop)

Bremer/McCoy

Released October 18, 2019

AllMusic Favorite Jazz Albums 2019

YouTube:

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_luhpvQLPdgeoUQVnYq_ymUrn7B2wyPz8g

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/1SBmW6imA3RanYDRB5g3Gw?si=YZh6QaepTDyiVkZcffZHTw&dl_branch=1

About:

Utopia is a tale of juxtaposition. On one hand, the music paints an idyllic and dynamic soundscape. Lead single “Højder” springs with bright, twinkling keys – part wurlitzer, part piano – balanced by a warm, sauntering bassline that has the feel of a tango. Others, like “Tusmørke” lean more into the jazz lane, a sultry nighttime tune sizzling with violins and dubbed out keys.
On the other hand, Utopia was by no means made under ideal circumstances. The duo battled constant technical difficulties – exploding reel-to-reel machines, a mixing board that constantly broke down – as if haunted by the malfunctioning gear. On top of that, Bremer was going through a divorce, which made recording a struggle at times.
Nonetheless, Utopia encapsulates what Bremer/McCoy do best: kaleidoscopic instrumental music, touching a multiverse of genre that evokes passion and promotes contemplation from the listener.

Track Listing:

1. Åben bog 03:06

2. Højder 04:25

3. Bjerget 02:22

4. Tusmørke 05:30

5. Salme 03:42

6. Veja 01:49

7. Solopgang 05:59

8. Vågner 01:45

9. Op 02:18

10. Salig 03:42

11. Dråber 05:15

12. Determination 04:50

Personnel:

Morten McCoy: piano

Jonathan Bremer: bass

Additional instruments

Bettina Marie Ezaki: violin (4)

Daniel Lyngstad: violin (4)

Andreas Bernitt: viola (4)

Ida Norby Sorensen: cello (4)

Nicole Hogstrand: cello (7)

Recorded March, 2018, at Copenhagen, Denmark, by Jonas Nakel

Assistant Engineer: Zakaria Hameed

Mixed by Jonas Nakel, Martin McCoy e Jonathan Barber

Mastering: Joel Krozer

Cover Art: Yaqup Oxbjr

Produced by Morten McCoy and Jonathan Bremer

Review:

There are some albums that beg to be listened to from beginning to end in one sitting; Brian Eno’s Music for Airports, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, and Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians come to mind. The fourth album (and Luaka Bop debut) from Danish instrumentalists Bremer/McCoy, 2019’s Utopia, is also one of those albums. Featuring the talents of bassist Jonathan Bremer and keyboardist/tape delay artist Morten McCoy, Utopia showcases the duo’s expansive, often hypnotic jazz-, dub-, and classical-influenced sound. Aesthetically, their intimate sound falls somewhere in between Keith Jarrett, Paul Winter, and Mike Oldfield without ever borrowing too heavily from any one source. Together, they create a soft tonal palette that relaxes you as much as it draws you deeper into its harmonic colorscape. They also add strings on several cuts here, which further lends a rich, vinyl-era texture to their sound. While each of the 12 tracks on Utopia displays the duo’s talent for crafting intensely melodic songs, there’s a flowing, interconnected quality to the album, as if each track lead to the next one, pulling you along its spectral journey. The opening “Åben Bog” is a sad classical piano piece that brings to mind an overcast fall day. Conversely, “Højder,” with its crystalline piano figure and Latin-esque pulse, conjures images of arid moonscapes. With Utopia, Bremer/McCoy have crafted an absolutely intoxicating instrumental experience that commands your attention from the moment it starts and entices you to linger in its womb-like atmosphere long after it ends.

Matt Collar (AllMusic)