KROKOFANT

Q Rune GRAMMoFon

Fiery fourth album by the now five-piece norwegian jazz prog combo.

Tom Hasslan, guitarist and main composer of Krokofant, was keen to stop the band becoming stale and formulaic, and so drafted in Ståle Storløkken from Supersilent and Motorsycho on keyboards, and bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, who has played in The Thing and Scorch Trio. His strategy worked. The ensemble come off the blocks at full tilt on Q – Part 1, with Axel Skalstad dropping and swapping beats around in a astonishing, high speed drum groove, which leads into fast, unison, almost be-bop ensemble passages. After guitar and organ solos, there is a speedy freeform duet between Skalstad and saxophonist Jørgen Mathisen. Then staccato guitar chords pull everything together as Skalstad accelerates into a blur of snare and cymbals before the piece reaches its conclusion. After 13-anda-half minutes of such intensity, sensitive listeners may be left feeling rather breathless. elsewhere, there are sections redolent of Jaga Jazzist at their most melodic, agitated Zappaesque passages, and some of the barking sax lines and keyboard swells evoke Van der Graaf. This expanded line-up is set to continue. It should do – they have something very special.