Reija, Xavi: Resolution

Xavi Reija is a Barcelona borne drummer who has roots in jazz and fusion. A few years ago he got together with Serbian guitarist Dusan Jevtovic, whom I recently became familiar with upon reviewing his latest album Am I Walking Wrong? and bass extraordinaire Bernat Hernández. The new album is titled Resolution and a good one it is.

The music on offer is experimental and decidedly uncommercial as the trio takes the listener into the realm of the unexpected. Music that veers in different directions sometimes feels a little haphazard but not so in this case. Heavy jams of dissonance and rock solid rhythmic grooves are what you will find. The music is hard to pigeonhole, not so much jazz fusion (although there are elements of each) as it is heavier experimental instrumental rock. Reija's polyrhythmic attack and Hernández's fluid bass lines are essential ingredients as is Dusan's dissonant guitar explorations often veering into shred-like territory. No, this isn't mainstream but the tunes are strangely gripping enabling the listener to be pulled in. Dusan's guitar work drips with eclecticism often in counterpoint to the rhythm section's steady attack.

"Flying To Nowhere" starts with clean guitar picking and as the drums and percussion build the guitar work becomes more pronounced. It is a sort of heavy fusion jam rock sound that builds into a shredding cacophony of dissonant sounds made so by Dusan's experimental guitar pyrotechnics. The soundscape becomes calmer returning to Dusan's guitar intro, before building up once again. In "Macroscope" the rhythm section leads the way with clear and precise drum/bass work before Dusan's guitar work resembles a swirling wall of discordant noise. A revved up funk/experimental rock jam would be one way to describe it. Special mention must be made of Hernández's bass playing, it is exceptional here. The music continues in unexpected directions offering many twists and turns throughout. This is a long album so be prepared to sit down, put on the headphones and get down to some serious listening. Background music this is not.

For those who want to be taken to the precipice where experimentalism and consummate musicianship meet in extended rock/fusion jams, Resolution will be right up your alley. Not for the faint of heart and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Track Listing:
1. Flying To Nowhere (7:38)
2. Macroscope (5:57)
3. Shadow Dance (5:22)
4. Dreamer (9:54)
5. Abyss (4:28)
6. The Land Of The Sirenians (4:55)
7. Unfinished Love (4:44)
8. John's Song (6:24)
9. Resolution (7:00)
10. Gravity (11:39)
11. Welcome To The End (8:52)

Added: April 29th 2014
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
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