Now here’s something to hunker down with, ‘Imagine More’, a second instalment from new(ish) London jazz quartet Lophae. That’s a logical title for a follow up to the combo’s acclaimed debut ‘Perfect Strangers’, a set of subtly intense, melodic tunes which had listeners wondering about what might come next in the band’s catalogue.
Well this new release won’t disappoint those devotees of Lophae’s debut and its vibrant directness is likely to draw others towards this quartet’s ever evolving soundscape. ‘Imagine More’ stands very much as a companion piece to ‘Perfect Strangers’ as the tunes were all recorded at the same sessions but in no way is the new album a coda or an afterthought. It’s a collection of tunes which have clearly been curated for their natural flow and narrative harmony as well as an intention to highlight other dimensions of the quartet’s reach and scope. Led by guitarist/composer Greg Sanders with Sam Rapley on sax, bassist Tom Herbert and drummer Ben Brown, ‘Imagine More’ yet again emphasises that this is a quartet whose sonic interaction is uncannily alchemic and often overwhelmingly magical.
The silky funk of opener Little House is some announcement, letting you know that Lophae’s energy bank has plenty in reserve. Sanders struts out on a chunky guitar riff, Herbert’s bass burbles with a syrupy relish and Ben Brown keeps the groove Stanton Moore tight. The song’s hook swaggers in with Rapley’s tenor, a motif he stretches out in a solo that he keeps rhythmic and pushing. As with all Lophae music the obvious doesn’t necessarily follow. Sneakily there’s a mid-section where a sparkling cascade of guitar plus some dreamscape sax both cool the temperature, before the funkiness returns. Then as the piece winds down further, the band steer a cosmic trajectory led by Sanders’ fizzing psychedelic fret-work. It’s an immaculately controlled landing.
‘Imagine More’ as an album also thrives on its eclecticism with the crew showing that they are clearly musicians with open minds and a world of influences. Take the affectionate Another You which eases between a gorgeous Soca lilt and a sultry reggae haze. Here Sanders introduces some metronomic drum machine beats which add to the song’s rootsy vibe, mingling with Ben Brown’s brisk snare chocks and Tom Herbert’s soft fingered bass persuasion. It’s naturally seductive and effortlessly soulful. The album’s title track draws on similar Soca references with a hint of Courtney Pine-esque calypso-sway stirred in. There’s a thrill in the cut’s detailing, the sax’s whistling tunefulness, the snares vamping purr and Sanders old-school piano skank all feeding into a warming celebration.
Other highlights on ‘Imagine More’ lean further into West African rhythms often blended with a bossa roll. On the sprightly To Friends, the skipping highlife guitar dances around the dependable bassline pulse and a nimble percussive tick. The weave of buoyant instrumental interaction as the quartet dance around each other is deceptively intricate but gloriously mesmeric. What We Were Waiting For tip-toes in like a Gal Costa ballad then uncurls into a luxurious laid-back mode, smooth jazz inventively articulated, delicate but memorable.
With such range and variation ‘Imagine More’ could easily have become fragmented but in the hands of Lophae, a band whose sound has a strong personality, it’s a seamless ride. This is lyrical, inventive, melodic jazz music that asks you to wade in and create your own imagery alongside the band’s intentions. Ball In A Street could be steeped in childhood memories, starting all bluesy and melancholy then heading in a playful direction. Stuttering beats and chinks of nu-jazz abstraction pay a visit before the yearning main theme returns for an end of the day stroll. On Fry Before You Buy, Sanders’ guitar casts some mystical multi-tones Jakob Bro style, for a piece which hovers into those ECM open spaces.
By the time you get to the prog-facing Two Of The Three it feels like you have travelled some distance with a band who ensure you don’t get lost or distracted. This closing track mixes quirkiness with Tortoise-like experimental touches such as guitar lines tinged with distortion or some swirling eastern scales in the sax song. This feels like a coming home piece, capturing the splash of colour on a rainy London backstreet and ending on a scene fading last note.
As a restorative, beautifully understated, quietly fulfilling sonic experience you couldn’t imagine much more than ‘Imagine More’…
Get your copy of ‘Imagine More‘ by Lophae from your local record store or direct from Bandcamp HERE
