THE OMNIFIC

Escapades WILD THING RECORDS

Bass-centric Australian trio’s virtuosic bottom-end antics.

Featuring twin bassists Matthew Fackrell and Toby Peterson-Stewart plus drummer Jerome Lematua, Melbourne instrumental trio The Omnific don’t let the lack of a guitarist stop them from doing incredible things on their debut fulllength album.

Antecedent sends out early signals about what to expect – jazz fusion meets EDM with a modern funk twist, while summoning up more than a hint of latterday King Crimson. There are echoes of other likely influences elsewhere with both Wax_Wane and Scurryfunge suggesting Primus’ Les Claypole, hammered syncopation à la Victor Wooton in Fountainhead and a heavy prog metal vibe to Matai. Elsewhere, Dwarm and the title track also demonstrate that the trio can just as effectively explore space and ambience.

Yet this isn’t just a constant barrage of notes; each composition has clear structures and enough in the way of hooks and themes to protect the group from any accusations of gratuitous fretboard wrangling. It’s a veritable masterclass in the art of the bass player and even the less technically inclined listener will be astonished by both the band’s abilities and the possibilities on display.