Badun
s/t
Rump Recordings
The self-titled debut by this Danish trio is situated squarely in the fertile soundscape where electronica, jazz and post-rock meet. Like Norway's Alog, Badun's tracks tend to be short and evocative, but they rely more heavily on their rhythm section to guide the way. Fretless bass and Fender Rhodes sonics abound, and the percussive brush strokes are infinitely subtle. This isn't difficult music, but neither does it play safe by being merely ambient-pretty or groove-anchored. Instead, this music glides aloft on its own glitch-driven air currents, remarkably sure of itself even if the listener is sometimes left guessing. It's all a bit on the chilly side aesthetically, but if you just stick it on without analyzing too much, this is intriguing stuff.
- Kevin Renick