dreadpirateroberts Portico Quartet’s self-titled release is marked by a shift in sound toward more ambient territory. The electronic aspects, handled by nearly the whole group, sometimes approach soundscapes, often add texture to their nu-jazz, and ultimately dominate the album. They don’t always make for totally compelling moments, such as ‘4096 Colours,’ and the brief, sketch-like pieces, but there’s a consistent down tempo mood to the album.

Overall this electronic development is hardly negative, though I did find myself responding immediately to standout pieces like ‘Ruins’ or ‘Spinner’ and ‘City of Glass’ due to their similarities to material on the quartet’s previous album, 'Isla.' Wyllie’s saxophone once again carries the melody on these pieces, with the distinctive Hang still playing an important (if reduced) role. Of course, it might be a little unfair that I gravitated to these tracks, but not surprising, I liked 'Isla,' so naturally I’ll like similar songs from its follow-up.

Conversely, the stronger ambient-influenced pieces were really enjoyable too, steps away from jazz perhaps, but still great stuff – like the almost harrowing ‘Window Seat,’ which is at times droning or pulsing but mostly (and clearly) dealing with ideas of isolation. ‘Rubidium’ is a little similar, with a slow build of tension that leads into a jagged bridge demonstrating the band’s further exploration with forms different to their previous release. The sketches seem to inhabit similar roles on the album, but fall short of ‘Window Seat’ and ‘Rubidium.’

So while this is thematically consistent, ambient nu-jazz, there’s a dip in the compositions across the ten pieces. The album might have been better served by one more cohesive song as opposed to the sketches and its least successful moment, ‘4096 Colours’ which plods through its reverb before just sort of dissipating – but there’s still a lot to savour. Fans of ambient music might want to try this one out, along with nu-jazz fans who like their electronics – keeping in mind that it’s an organic if cold sounding electronic element. Fans of Portico Quartet’s ‘older’ sound might be thrown at first, but the changes aren’t insurmountable. Keep listening.

Sean Trane Third studio album from the Portico Quartet, now famous for their use of the Hang drums. Through a very un-committing artwork (presenting their names broken down, multiplied and colourized, the quartet still features the sax as the lead instrument, and if their signature instrument (the Hang) is a bit less present, you’re still unmistakably in the usual Portico soundscapes in the first half of the album. However things tend to change dramatically for the second part and veer very post-ambient.

The group still dishes out the same kind of exciting, but thoughtful fusion as they did in their first two albums, yet managing to renew themselves sufficiently to avoid repetition. Some tracks are more reflective and calmer, sometimes even approaching some post-rock soundscapes (Spinner), others developing some strong electronic elements first (start of Rubidium), then veering post-minimalist (the second part of Rubidium). At times, the album also bears an ECM reminiscence that enters the post-rock minimalism mix (Hot Climates). A bit surprising is the Bjork-like vocal appearance of Steepless. The mixed electronic moods (In some weird Tortoise way) continues 4096 Colours and onwards to the closing Trace.

A fairly different album from Portico Quartet, where the signature Hang drum is much less present and the second half has little to do with their usual soundscapes, but is no less spellbinding, but in a very different manner.