Album Review: The Comet Is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
The modern jazz world is an incredibly homogeneous one, with a number of well-known artists lending their talents to a variety of groups all over the globe in order to dabble in the largest palette of sounds and styles possible. The Comet Is Coming shares its renowned saxophonist, Shabaka Hutchings, with a number of bands including the afro-jazz outfit Sons of Kemet, whose album Your Queen Is a Reptile was perhaps the most acclaimed and accomplished jazz record of last year. But where that album's sound and message was firmly rooted in the African roots of the genre (mixed with a biting feminist kick), Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery is a near polar opposite: atmospheric and otherworldly, incredibly sparse in any overt meaning and yet constantly fuming with a rage and desperation that almost sounds post-apocalyptic.
The futuristic nu-jazz this record embodies is wondrous in its scale and splendor, while maintaining a relatively relaxed mood compared to the band's 2016 release Channel the Spirits. At times, such as during the opening and closing tracks, the group is almost too obvious in their efforts to sell the album's grand scope, yet even here the saxophone playing on top of ambient keyboards is quite endearing. As soon as Birth of Creation hits, however, the show is stolen by an amazingly hypnotic bass clarinet melody, ensnaring the listener and remaining a constant fixture in their ears even as the moody synths and percussion continue to increase in intensity; were it not for the almost randomly dispersed electronic noises, the song would sound downright traditional.
Super Zodiac at first seems to be effective in creating suspense during its electronic opening, but the saxophone melody which enters soon after sounds more nervous and repetitive than anything else, rapidly drowned out by the distractions amplifying in the background (perhaps a consequence of poor mixing?). Astral Flying finds a much more effective balance, though this time it is the bass which comes out the most memorable while various synth and saxophone melodies move in and out to add colour to the track. Not to imply that Hutchings does not get his chances to shine; be it on emptier cuts like Summon the Fire or with a distinct sense of space and reverb on Timewave Zero, there are plenty of graceful lines and uproarious solos which more than adequately display his talent and creativity on the horn.
Similar to Your Queen Is a Reptile, which was sparse in its use of lyrics despite its powerful and well-conveyed themes, the only vocal passage on the album is an extended poem performed by Kate Tempest which takes up the majority of Blood of the Past. Though there are moments where the bitter fury at humanity's failings crosses into cliche OK Computer-esque banalities about modern society ("Shower, smoothie, coffee, commute/Check the internet, never stop, never stop"), as a whole the selection is at once disturbing, cynical, and hostile: "There is a scar on the soul of the world and it needs you to look/The blood of the past is here, it remains/The blood of the murders, the bodies like sacks leaking brain". Still, it is a relief when these words give way to an impressively grimy saxophone solo, and the album gets back on track instantaneously.
At its most basic, Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery is yet another fervent display of Shabaka Hutchings' skill, and an effective reminder of why he is such a respected name in the newest wave of jazz. To solely credit the album's quality to him, however, would be ignoring how well the rest of the group's playing is throughout the record, and how their ideas and vision coalesce to create a nu-jazz experience that feels utterly alien and foreign, yet also keeps its feet firmly grounded in the history of the genre. Perhaps it cannot always live up to this duality, and occasionally loses its members in an untamed sea of noise and atmosphere. As an experience, though, this album is certainly a unique one, even for such an off-the-wall ensemble.
7.5/10
Favourite Tracks: Birth of Creation, Summon the Fire, Timewave Zero
https://open.spotify.com/album/2mvz0NPBCPTbSEgRViuDLK?si=YneIJ_l0T9iO_pI3h5By7A