Polyrhythmics
Rich with bold brass and hypnotic percussion, Polyrhythmics‰Ûª latest album, Caldera, showcases the instrumental eight-piece‰Ûªs impossibly tight grooves and virtuosic musicianship as they tear through a singular blend of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, R&B, progressive jazz, and Afrobeat. Calling to mind everything from Antibalas and the Dap-Kings to The Meters and Fela Kuti, it‰Ûªs without a doubt their strongest work to date, merging the infectious power of their live show with a sleek and nuanced studio sophistication.Named for the smoldering crater left after a volcanic eruption, Caldera was written during a band retreat to rural Oregon, where Polyrhythmics embraced truly collaborative songwriting for the first time during a marathon session in the shadow of Mt. Hood (itself an active volcano). The resulting album is a blistering declaration from a band that‰Ûªs progressed beyond the sum of its influences to come fully into its own. From the downtempo, Afrobeat trance of ‰ÛÏStargazer‰Û� to the triumphantly anthemic, high-octane pump-up funk of ‰ÛÏMarshmallow Man,‰Û� Caldera is instrumental music at its best: emotional, evocative, mesmerizing. On ‰ÛÏCactus Blossoms,‰Û� Polyrhythmics craft an eerie, retro gem straight out of a 70‰Ûªs film score, while the trippy effects and wah-wah guitar of ‰ÛÏGoldie‰Ûªs Road‰Û� suggest a psychedelic journey (or perhaps a bad trip), and the shuffling ‰ÛÏVodka For My Goat‰Û� draws on Stax soul while hinting at BB King‰Ûªs merger of the blues and jazz. It‰Ûªs an eclectic collection, tied together by the melding of eight distinct musical voices coming together as a cohesive whole.
The record follows the Seattle band‰Ûªs stellar third album, Octagon, which earned them tour dates around the country along with plenty of critical acclaim. The Stranger dubbed Polyrhythmics a group to watch, hailing their ‰ÛÏsophisticated slinkiness and expressive brassiness,‰Û� while WNCW praised their ‰ÛÏmodern afro-psycho-beat blend,‰Û� and the Seattle Times dubbed them ‰ÛÏfunk maestros.‰Û� The band was invited to perform live on influential Seattle NPR station KEXP, shared bills with everyone from Snarky Puppy to Booker T, and played massive festival stages including Bumbershoot, High Sierra, and Vancouver International Jazz Fest.