Newest Review Polar Bear -Same as You 2015 Experimental Jazz Fusion

                                     

Not to be confused with the American alt rock group, the British experimental post jazz 5 piece is fantastic.The 2015 release of "Same as You" by Polar Bear is great album taking inspiration from a multitude of sources such as funk, hip-hop, improvisation, EDM, rock, world, dub ,etc. It originally was to be a single piece of music but eventually made its way to become six tracks. With only a few exceptions, this is a mostly instrumental project.The only track that is iffy is the first track. It still is great but a liitle sappy and corny with its "armchair philosophy"  from Jamaican/ Englander Asar Mikael . Still, I like the track, just not near as much as the rest of the tracks on the album. Throughout the album there is plenty of intertwined saxophone solos, electonic sounds, upright double bass and world drums. There is defintly carribean and other world music vibes throughout the album. For the most part, it is very mellow and entrancing. Since this is a drumming led outfit, the album is rooted in drumming, even though much of it is subtle..There is great minimalistic stuff  all throughout the album.

Sebastian Rochford leads the band and also was a member of "BabyShambles" of Pete Doherty fame. Other members include saxophonists -Pete Wareham and Mark Lockheart, double bassist -Tom Herbert, and electronic musician and guitarist - Leafcutter John.  There is a special guest which is Shabaka Hutchings from Sons of Kemet (which also includes Seb Rochford) and Melt Yourself Down ( which also includes Pete Wareham and Leafcutter John). Tom Herbert has played with  Lana Del Rey, Adele, and others. Mark Lockheart has played with Radiohead, Prefab Sprout, Loose Tubes, Jah Wobble, High Llamas, Stereolab, Vibraphonic and others. Polar Bear is part of a music collective known as the F-ire Collective, which is a jazz music community and a record label

Musically evident, this is art, so Polar Bear has made sure to include  great artwork by the artist Sanchita Islam.  They have taken great lengths to get a desired feel for the album.The album took six weeks to mix in the mojave desert by Seb Rochford and producer Ken Barientos which I'm sure influenced some of the sound. Overall, it has a great ebb and flow musically and from the engineering aspect.  For anyone who loves experimental music and jazz, this one comes highly recommended. Organic.

The above live footage I believe is from 2010. It is not from "Same as You" but is never the less a great example of Polar Bear as well as great in general.  The album "Same as You" has more "world music" influences than this piece.This piece has someone playing a ballon. Enough said.

"The First Steps" from "Same as You " 2015