Author Archives: Dæv Tremblay

Big Heart Machine – Big Heart Machine

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

I’ve been waiting on this release for as long as it has been announced (or very nearly so), but, when it was finally released, it was impossible for me to listen to it attentively and, thus, prepare a short review before the month’s end. It is doubtless that I can say that Big Heart Machine would’ve made it in August’s monthly recommendations, but you’ll have to be content with this belated, overdue one.

Big Heart Machine is the eighteen-piece big band under the baton of Miho Hazama and the production of Darcy James Argue, another … Read more

Green Tree Novelty Tea – The Lion’s Suite

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Green Tree Novelty Tea starts off strong with their debut EP, The Lion’s Suite: a twenty-minute collection of stellar progressive rock with vibrant math rock influences. Just make sure to raise the volume before listening to the album, because it’s mixed quite low.

The band includes the bassist of blog favourite Axon-Neuron, and this is the sole reason for my stumbling upon this album, for it is not promoted or shared a lot. This makes it even more of a pleasant surprise, then, to find therein some of the best progressive rock of recent … Read more

EXCLUSIVE STREAM: Kurushimi Feigns Ignorance on What Is Chaos?

by Dæv Tremblay

Sydney’s improvisation grind-jazz ensemble Kurushimi—or 苦しみ—is a strong musical statement since their self-titled debut in 2016, which I pretty much adored. Whether you call it directed improvisation or a musical game, they fear nothing and owe nothing to anyone.

With What Is Chaos?, the act sees Andrew Mortensen at the helm, and a revolving (and impressive) set of improvisers on their respective instrument. In over an hour of new music, they make hints to many respected and beloved (and sometimes obscure) musicians; from John Zorn to the Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble to even … Read more