Maelström

Named for Ethiopia’s travelling musical storytellers, Belgian five-piece Azmari mix global jazz with elements of funk and dub to conjure up a sound that sits somewhere between the North Atlantic and the Abyssinian Highlands. Born from Brussels’ eclectic music scene in 2015, their 2021 debut Samā’ī was noted for its ambitious mix of influences, from Ethio grooves and Afrobeat to Turkish jazz and even classic rock, and their second release, Maelström, follows very much in the same vein.

Kicking off an album full of surprise turns, opener and lead single ‘Sheep Party’ crawls into earshot as a dark wash of synths and creeping percussion, building speed to an explosive vibe shift that pulls in squealing reeds and the buzz of brass. Likewise, ‘Crab Squad’ starts off all ambient squiggles and plinking gongs before accelerating into a tight blaze-up of big horns and hearty percussion. While Azmari can sometimes paint with too broad a palette, throwing together disparate elements in a way that is, on occasion, more convoluted than compelling, this is an undeniably accomplished record from a troupe who wear their inspirations loudly and wholeheartedly.