Today we check out Antigravity, an upcoming release from the UK label Blackest Ever Black featuring the avant-garde French trumpeter, singer, and actor Jac Berrocal. Having come of age in the 1970’s, Berrocal’s beat and jazz inspired work has always had a rock-n-roll edge to it, as well as a fiercely independent and punk spirit. Here, he is joined by fellow French left fielders David Fenech and Vincent Epplay. Fenech began his career in the early 90’s releasing “mail art” work, as well as forming the improv collective Peu Importe, while Epplay is an accomplished musician, sonic composer, and visual artist.
In addition to Berrocal’s amazingly lyrical horn, Antigravity finds the musicians playing electric and African guitar, bass, synthesizer, electronics, accordion, and a host of unorthodox percussion. The upcoming record will feature original tracks, as well as repurposed classics like this one–Gil Evan’s cool and gorgeous, “Where Flamingos Fly“. In this trio’s hands, Evan’s sparkling melody sounds so hauntingly familiar, and yet it has an eery sorta cast to it, as strange electronics bubble beneath this version’s more icy surface. And then there’s Berrocal’s horn…initially, in it’s first phrasing, his trumpet-line is pushed back in the mix, almost out of the room, but soon it stokes itself into a daunting glow, that, while Romantic in it’s way, bears a more strident and edgy tone to the original.
Look for Antigravity to come out April 27th via BEB. In addition, the trio will perform live at the Rewire Festival in the Netherlands, May 2.
