Polyphonic Exophilia – ABRACADABRA
Polyphonic Exophilia – ABRACADABRA – Album Review
And so concludes the longest amount of time that Polyphonic Exophilia has been away from our pages since we first started listening back in August of 2021. It didn’t quite stretch out to a full year – the last time we had’em in review was for their Be Fine EP in July of 2022, and in between those two respective dates you can find more postings of the PPXP collective on our site than you’ve probably written letters to your momma in this lifetime (she misses you by the way). You get the point I’m sure – chances are, if you read these pages of ours, you remember their name. If it’s not for one of the million reviews that I’ve written about’em, it’d be for the fact they took home our Best New Sound of the year back in 2021.
It’s no real surprise to me that they sound like they’re thriving in doing what they love, and equally no surprise to find they’ve presented their music in one of the stranger ways you’ll see out there in the scene. Expecting Polyphonic Exophilia to be normal would be disrespectful y’all, straight up. As they kick things off with “A” in this set of tunes, they get their official debut full-length record movin’ and groovin’ quickly, with an addictive vibe that has a clever ten second intro before sliding right into gear as smooth as can be. Just like that, PPXP is off and running with their innovative & exploratory brand of Jazz fusion, with their radiant style of audible fun beaming out of every nook & cranny of your speakers. “A” also happens to be the longest track of the bunch at 4:30 in length, which is also an indication that the band has likely attempted to trim their material down in a sincere effort to tighten things up overall. Solid start though…great array of instrumentation, the stunning musicianship you know & love, and a real idea at the core of it all that they work around seamlessly in a tangible way listeners can keep up to.
Really dig what I hear on “AB” – this became an instant favorite of mine from the ABRACADABRA set-list. Solid fluidity in the bass-lines, love the addition of the flute into this tune, guitar & beat work perfectly together with it all, and it’s probably the extra effects in the background/production on this track that might be the main reason that it stands out as brilliantly as it does. Tracks like “AB” for as complex as they truly are, sound effortless, natural, and remarkably organic…that’s where the magic in the mix is y’all…it’s that for as difficult as it would be to come up with, compose, and perform a song like this one, on the listener’s side of the speakers, everything sounds like it was simply meant to be. “AB” is the kind of cut that genuinely earns your attention, because it’s built on sound that your ears can’t get enough of & a curious composition that has us wanting to discover whatever is about to happen next in the music. A song you’re sure to like that’s even easier to love, “AB” is cosmically smooth & welcoming to listen to.
The most you’ll find me conceding to ya, is that a track like “AB” might appeal more to myself personally than the average everyday listeners out there I suppose…I could understand that if that was the case. If you’re a true fan of Jazz and the exploratory side of its genre, I can’t imagine anyone having to struggle to find reasons to turn up “AB” loud and proud…but if we’re talking about something that’s going to be considered as universally accessible to one & all, chances are it’s gonna be “ABR” that hits the mark earliest into the lineup. I listen to this track, and not only do I enjoy it, but I feel like it’s also the kind of awe-inspiring jam that you really have to sit back and marvel at for a minute or two…it’s exceptional stuff and executed to the highest standards you’ll find in the music of the PPXP. Joining them for a guest appearance on the bass, you’ll find Churro Green crushin’ it with some of the best chops you’ll hear this side of Thundercat, and in general, whether it’s the keys or the sax, the beat or the guitars, it seems like every way you turn your attention, there’s something undeniably impressive to discover. It’s like an entire education in what make Jazz as spectacular as it can be, without the hindrance of feeling like you’re being exposed to something that’s directly trying to help your palette & personal taste evolve. The results speak for themselves – “ABR” is gonna be a fan-favorite and new-fan-favorite, guaranteed.
If anything, I think that the fact that Polyphonic Exophilia is out there in the independent scene making Jazz completely relevant again, and accessible in ways that others can’t, makes them one of the most underrated bands in the scene today, even though we’ve personally recognized them as one of the best. You follow me? There’s not enough credit that a site like ours can give to the contributions that they’re making…and in my heart of hearts, I can only hope that other folks out there across the map are catching on to what they’re creating. “ABRA” is a fantastic example of their adventurous & ambitious sound at work…it almost puts them closer to the fringe of something that you’d find in the instrumental Rock section, sure – but it’s bloody addictive stuff to listen to. Also, when you consider the cleverness of the timing they use, and the array of instrumentation…like I’ve been getting at…it’s almost surprising that the PPXP would be as potentially appealing to the masses as they truly are – but trust me, have a listen to “ABRA” and you’ll know exactly what I’m talkin’ about. They deserve a whole lot of credit for the creativity they put into their music, but even more for the way they turn it into tunes that people can actually engage with. Usually anything in the realms of Jazz, Progressive, Instrumental, or Experimental will send the average everyday listeners out there running and screaming in the other direction…but I’m tellin’ ya that any set of ears brave enough to check out PPXP will be happy they did.
With keyboard sounds that seem like they’ve come straight outta the 60s and 70s, “ABRAC” is another cut that’s pretty much downright irresistible if you ask me, completing the end of what’s been a flawless first half of their debut full-length record. I can tell ya this with certainty – the five songs that start out ABRACADABRA left me wanting for nothing more…and if you want my personal opinion, I’d basically be happy to put any of those tracks right up there with the best I’ve ever heard from the band to-date. Which is sayin’ quite a lot y’all…if you check through these pages of ours, you’ll see I’ve had a whole lot of great things to say about the music of Polyphonic Exophilia over these past couple years – but this set of songs on ABRACADABRA really shows them at their focused best. Call it the effect of time if you like; they slowed down their rate of production a bit perhaps, but the consistency of their material is now at an all-time high, and everything is coming out spectacularly well for the band. If there’s anything that solves the age-old debate of quantity versus quality, I’d say that the answer is right here in the fabric of this very record – the additional time they’ve taken has treated their music very, very well. Bass-lines are amazing, the keys do their best to steal the show, and the whole vibe of “ABRAC” in general is nothing short of sensational to experience…they’ve nailed this track to perfection.
The hot streak continues into the second half of ABRACADABRA, with “ABRACA” kickin’ things off with stellar energy, melody, and saxophone work that’s straight-up award-worthy. The bass-lines and keys deserve a whole lot of credit here too, as they often do in the music of PPXP, but if I’m givin’ out the hardware to a single element of “ABRACA” that provides the edge, I think it’s gotta be the saxophone this time around. All-in-all, I found this was one of those tracks that I could put on repeat, look up, and discover that hours had passed by before I realized it…”ABRACA” is another cut that’s undeniably easy to listen to, and enticing to no end. From the colorful way that it starts, to the smooth groove it supplies throughout the middle, to the band sticking the landing at the end collectively, “ABRACA” is an excellent example of how tight Polyphonic Exophilia has become over their years together and the professional level they’re capable of executing their material with. No hint of anything between them sounding stale – “ABRACA” is audible proof of their shared collective interest in making great music, together as one.
With their featured guest Churro Green returning to play the sitar on “ABRACAD,” the record’s shortest track, you’ll find that you get yet another dimension of sound on display from this one album. Credit where credit is due, the sonic diversity and depth to be found throughout this lineup of songs is fantastic – and whether you consider yourself to be a fan of Instrumental music, Jazz, Experimental stuff, or not, I can pretty much guarantee there’s still at least a little something for everyone on this album, and hopefully there’s a lot! “ABRACAD” is delightfully hypnotic…it’s a gentle & mesmerizing melody, played with tremendous skill. It’s a brilliant example of PPXP going where the music takes them, and not trying to force anything too hard…”ABRACAD” glides on a cushion of air through your speakers the entire time. The sitar in general, is one of those instruments that has such a remarkable allure to it…the kind of instrument that always sounds magical or otherworldly, and if you’re lucky enough like in this particular instance, both. It’s always been admirable how Polyphonic Exophilia will invite other characters into their world of creativity to see what can be accomplished in the name of art & music combined, and if there’s a track that exemplifies the mission they’re on, it could very well be “ABRACAD” at the top of that list. Don’t mistake its gentle disposition for a track you will write off or relegate to the background – “ABRACAD” is essentially fascinating from start to finish, and a song that’ll speak directly to your soul.
Listen to those keys at work on “ABRACADA” will ya? Genius stuff happening there without a doubt. I’ve also been a big fan of the way they’ve incorporated the flute sounds into these tunes when they show up on this record, and “ABRACADA” makes great use of those too, along with some supreme harmonics and other smart decisions all around. We’re talkin’ about meaty musical hooks to be found on this cut without a doubt…and for as subtle as it appears to us, it’s equally intense in terms of how you’d have to go about playing this with the perfect mix of precision and passion to get it just right. It’s like if you had yourself an avant-garde “Superstition”-inspired jam session, whereby you could take the bounce and energetic essence of the classic Stevie Wonder hit, and crush it with a whole new artistic perspective. You’ll get what I mean when you hear it for yourselves…”ABRACADA” is by no means any kind of copy of anything else, “Superstition” included – but you’ll hear where the similarities are within the energy and sound for sure. That’s the kind of welcome influence you wanna hear, that’s probably not even the roots of the influence at all…in fact, I don’t even know if Polyphonic Exophilia even listens to the music of other people given that they’re always so damn busy making their own! In any event, I’d imagine listeners out there will have no problem at all locking onto the vibrant sounds of “ABRACADA” – this whole track feels very fluid, fresh, and alive. Perhaps even more than that, it sounds FUN to play!
The reality is, the vast majority of their material always does sound like it’s fun for the band, and exuberates a genuine joy that they get from playing together. Which makes complete and total sense to me – they’re essentially pioneers of a new sonic frontier, continually going willingly into the beyond to unearth some kind of new combination of sound that’s never been put together before – who wouldn’t be happy about that form of creative discovery in the world of art & music? Incidentally, I should mention, before I get in trouble here…the artwork you see in the cover is from their longtime collaborator Hakon Holm Olsen, and the artwork you hear in the mastering of these songs comes from Andreas Nordenstam…both additional geniuses in their own fields that have greatly contributed to this record overall. When it comes to “ABRACADAB” late in the lineup, I think that’s where you can really appreciate how strong this whole set-list really is. Part of me wants to acknowledge that it’s the closest they’ve come to coloring outside of the lines for the accessibility of their music, and the other part of me thinks that even I’m splitting hairs in an assessment like that – aren’t I? Unfortunately, I’m just one person…I can’t tell from my own singular opinion…but there is something about “ABRACADAB” that does feel like it’d present just a bit more of a challenge for the average everyday listener out there in comparison to the rest, even if it’s just slightly. That being said, there are supremely awesome bass-lines in this tune that get it rollin’ in the right direction quickly, and that could very well be enough to get the majority of folks onboard from there. Solid sax too…I mean, the musicianship in this band is always excellent no matter which element stands out to you or that you choose to hone in on…I suppose it might be formed around a looser construct this time to a degree perhaps, but again, not by much. For the most part, I still hear the sound of a song with a whole lot of appeal, allure, and authenticity to it.
All-in-all, I feel like there’s a whole lot here to enjoy from multiple angles on ABRACADABRA. Whether it’s the artistic depth, the prowess in their craft, their clever spin on Progressive Jazz, or the uniqueness of their perspective on music and what it can be, you can’t help but admire the path this band from Norway has put itself on. You listen to a track like “ABRACADABR” bring it home at the end, and you have to recognize that it’s pretty damn even all the way across the board when it comes to this lineup of songs…as in, sure, this makes for a great ending to the record, but just about any of’em would have too. Having said that…I think “ABRACADABR” is the only track on this album that like…GROWLED at me? I have no idea where that idea came from or why they’d have included it, I just know that I love it. Love the melody in the sax and the atmosphere the keys establishes with the rhythm section…Polyphonic Exophilia does that whole like…underground Jazz club thing very well…and this final cut definitely takes you right into the heart of that particular kind of sound. Definitely a solid checkmark in the win column for the PPXP collective at-large…it’s another seriously strong effort overall, and they should be seriously satisfied with the stellar results they achieved with the full lineup of songs on this record – I know I was.
Find out more about Polyphonic Exophilia at their official website at: https://ppxp.no
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