Mambo Noir Trio

More noir than mambo, this curiosity instantly casts the listener upon gentle but foreboding waves of Scandi piano jazz. Since Swedish pianist Esbjörn Svensson and his trio created a distinctively European template for the jazz trio, their taciturn style has become ubiquitous. Mambo Noir Trio follow in their footsteps with a cinematic swagger.

It is no surprise to learn that pianist Matti Bye is best known for scoring films. The whole album could form the soundtrack to a silent movie about a Gallic fishing village. The nautical theme surfaces most clearly on ‘Love’, which sets a spare piano refrain against soothing tides and gusts. While moody, there is a definite playfulness here. ‘City’ evokes a chase scene with a bongo beat. Dennis Egberth's use of percussion is inventive throughout, elevating the album by eschewing familiar drum-kit patterns.

The record abounds with evocative vignettes like ‘Matador’, which builds from a brooding piano ostinato worthy of welcoming you to a Bond villain's ice lair. Mambo Noir Trio have crafted a work of artistry and understatement, which rewards repeat listens with fresh narratives and sub-plots.