The sophomore album from
Kaisa's Machine
and their first for
Greenleaf Music
, 2023's
Taking Shape
, showcases the ensemble's crisp, spacious modern jazz. Led by Finnish bassist and composer
Kaisa Maeensivu
,
also features tenor saxophonist/bass clarinetist
Tivon Pennicott
, guitarist
Max Light
, pianist
Eden Ladin
, drummer
Joe Peri
, and vibraphonist
Sasha Berliner
, the latter of whom jumps on board for several tracks. The album follows 2017's
In the Key of K
, which first introduced the group's genre-crossing post-bop sound, one that deftly straddles the line between stylish contemporary jazz and experimental fusion. Prior to forming her
Machine
Maeensivu
was primarily focused on more straight-ahead acoustic jazz and standards, a style she pursued with her trio and which even found her singing. With
, she takes a completely instrumental approach, crafting flowing, often modal songs built around her group's bright harmonic textures and a motivic group interplay. It's a sound that evokes the classic fusion of
Chick Corea
and
Return to Forever
while feeling modern and distinctive in its own way. With her warmly articulated double bass sound,
brings to mind players like
Dave Holland
Charles Mingus
, and
Scott LaFaro
and serves as a strong anchor for her band's adventurous playing.
seems to pull from a variety of genres throughout
, whether it's diving into crisp Latin-rhythms on "Better Intentions" or borrowing the rat-a-tat groove of an electronic dance track on "Eat Dessert First." Sometimes, they conjure their own hard-to-pin-down hybrid of sounds, as on "Sink or Swim," where
's dusky bowed bass and
Peri
's skittering Afro-Latin-esque beat sound like a sped-up funk-tango played by
John Coltrane
's '60s group with
Eric Dolphy
. Equally evocative is "Shadow Mind," which has the measured intensity and dream-like atmosphere of an almost impossible-to-imagine collaboration between
Sigur Ros
pianist
Keith Jarrett
. There's also a kinetic, wave-like quality to
sound, as on "Floating Light," where
Pennicott
screams a spiraling melody against
Light
's shimmering guitar tones, as
lay down an insistent bass-and-drum groove. Adding to the dreamy flow of the album are three pared-down interludes, the first of which finds
dancing with dark, woody intensity as
dusts her with cloudy fractals of delayed guitar. It's an impressionistic sound and one that speaks to the rapturous, magical vibe
capture throughout
. ~ Matt Collar