Jensson, Hilmar's TYFT

Smell the Difference

Label: Skirl Country: USA

"Smell The Difference is the third album by Icelandic guitarist Hilmar Jensson's metallic power trio Tyft, which features longstanding members Andrew D'Angelo (alto saxophone and bass clarinet) and Jim Black (drums). Since the late nineties, Jensson has explored the fertile territory between popular music and jazz improvisation, both with his own ensembles and Jim Black's Alasnoaxis. Where Black draws inspiration from melodic indie rock, Jensson delves deeper, into testosterone fueled heavy metal.

Augmented by horn players Chris Speed (tenor saxophone and clarinet) and Peter Evans (trumpet), this already impressive trio is given a more colorful palette to work with. Jensson continues to seed his compositions with angular melodies, unusual time signatures and pulverizing grooves, using the additional voices for orchestral impact.

Demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of underground music trends, Jensson adopts aspects of nu metal ("Smell The Goodness"), punk-funk ("Froth"), thrash metal ("Pittles") and power metal ("Flimbergeist") throughout this visceral set. Augmented with advanced harmonies, intricate polyrhythms, shifting tempos and ornate counterpoint, Jensson and company add surprising new wrinkles to these staid genres, while maintaining a cohesive sensibility.

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Buoyed by enthusiastic guest contributions, Smell The Difference is a marked departure from the excellent Meg Nem Sa (Skirl, 2006). Embracing edgier facets of the underground for inspiration, Tyft forges ahead, blazing new paths for jazz and improvised music in the new millennium."-Troy Collins