By this time, Martin Küchen’s name is familiar to all those interested in the Clean Feed catalogue, because of the Swedish saxophonist releases by this Portuguese label of his various Angles formations and bands like Trespass Trio or All Included. Now, we find him in a duo with the Slovak, but living in Oslo, drummer and composer Michaela Antalová. The music inside “Thunder Before Lightning” not only reflects the pushing of boundaries of the two neighbour worlds occupied by Küchen, jazz and free improvisation, but also the wide spectrum of Antalová’s musical interests, which go from improv and experimentation to the song format, world music and, even, baroque settings. This is inclusivist music at its best, with wonders to discover as minutes go by. And no, the Martin Küchen you have here isn’t the one of his reductionist/near-silence side: the use of extended techniques are present, unavoidably (thanks, gods of music), but those saxophone phrasings which we immediately identify with jazz are the main substance. We all know by now the importance of African references in Küchen’s music, but in this recording he travels to more exotic (and imaginary) geographies, for instance playing also an electric Tanpura. There’s a special attention to pitch, harmonics and overtones, and in that aspect it’s important to hear what Michaela Antalová does with her prepared cymbals. There’s much in this release to turn your home confinement more light, if not pleasurable.

All music by Martin Küchen and Michaela Antalová

Recorded at Flerbruket, Hemnes, Aurskog-Høland in Norway on 9th July 2019 by Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard | Mixed by Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard | Mastered by Miguel Angel Tolosa
Produced by Küchen and Michaela Antalová | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos