The Most Beautiful Sounds Next to Silence

The fourth album of Norwegian drummer Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity, the first on the ECM Records, doesn’t low the bar set on previous recordings, displaying a well-oiled trio with as much lyricism as rhythmic inventiveness. As habitually happens, multi-reedist André Roligheten and bassist Petter Eldh are in tune with Nilssen’s vision, and the eleven compositions on Elastic Wave succeed one another with tapestries littered with dizzying propulsion and soulfully intoned melodies.

With the opening track, “Altaret”, the trio transpires devotional lyricism, falling into a calm, sweet mode that resonates emphatically with the listener. Before its close, there’s a brushed folk-infused vamp enhancing beautiful brights. Following a similar pathway, “Spending Time with Ludvig”, intertwines folk and avant-garde jazz, recalling the spirituals of Albert Ayler, Pharaoh Sanders, and Archie Shepp. The tune, written for Nilssen’s young son, shapes up and builds momentum through genuine saxophone expressions, dancing basslines, and a highly articulated drum flow.

Another piece rooted in the vernacular of folk and straddling traditions is “The Room Next to Her”, where the deep aphorisms pronounced by the bass saxophone mix with the impeccable tom-tom rumbles and cymbal crashes of the bandleader. This earthly feel contrasts with the ethereal spirituality found on “Lokket til Jon, og skjerfet Paul”, a ballad that honors drummers Jon Christensen and Paul Motian, mentioning their cymbal and scarf, respectively, in the title.

If Eldh’s “Dreignau” enables us to feel the silkiness of the clarinet, a nonuple meter that shifts along the way, and an impeccable ground layer that defines its pulse, then “The Other Village” features Roligheten’s two-horn signature blowing, meaning he plays the tenor and soprano saxes simultaneously. It’s hard not to succumb to accented-themed avant-garde thrusters such as “Influx Delight”, with its tireless bass and drums flow; “Acoustic Dance Music”, which bounds into an energetic hard-swinging motion; and “Boogie”, an upbeat, staccato-delivered romp with a singable melody, and where Eldh and Nilssen keep the groove alive.

Daringly outlined and yet expansive and open, this new collection of compositions shows the ability of three highly articulated speakers to create with equal parts inspiration, responsiveness, and artistry.

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