In Real Life
JabFung
Independent (jabfung.bandcamp.com)
The album art really fits the music flawlessly here; multimodal, intermeshed and finding multiple simultaneous access points with which to engage the senses. Bandleaders Julian Anderson-Bowes and Anthony Fung continue to build creative momentum from last year’s debut record, refining their sound while painting over the peripheral sonicscape with new radiant elements. The final mix is more pristine than pristine (not backhanded, it sounds incredible), while the band’s ideas are rounded out with real experimentation and grit.
Each instance feels dynamic and full of potential to fluctuate in a single breath. One cannot with confidence guess where the metre or a soloist’s line is heading, but this unpredictability invariably leads to exciting and even intuitive places. Intricate melodicism and rhythmic intensity are primary sources of intrigue throughout the tracklist, with the serpentine Skander being particularly addictive as a result of this overt synthesis, while the humorously-albeit-existentially-titled Methadone for Doomscrolling immediately recreates this effect in a more patient and understated way.
As an ensemble, JabFung’s aural road mapping within each piece often visits two theoretical extremes in quick succession as a means of slowly eroding any differences between these modes. There will be an elaborate bass solo that plays with time and texture underneath blissful horn pads, with the totality making perfect sense. If there is one thing that unites the success of everything this album sets out to convey, it is JabFung’s steadfast commitment to their craft.
Listen to 'In Real Life' Now in the Listening Room
