The Rotterdam-based Pan-European trio ALBATRE warns that it delivers a kind of punkish-metallic-noisy free jazz that is no jazz for weddings. It is a fair warning and a best kept promise. The trio sophomore release, «Nagual», released two years after the trio debut, «A Descent into Maelstrom» (Shhpuma, 2013), demands a total surrender to an ecstatic and turbulent, at times nightmarish sonic universe, fully knowing that there is no escape from it. The trio features prolific Portuguese bass player Gonçalo Almeida, who plays also with the LAMA trio, Tetterapadequ quartet and Spinifex quintet, fellow countryman, alto sax player Hugo Costa and German drummer Philipp Ernsting.

«Nagual» begins with a massive, repetitive grind that sound as slowed-down adaptation from the lexicon of The Thing «Boot!»-era or early Zu onslaughts, so powerful and aggressive that may tear down skyscrapers. The second piece on the first side of this vinyl only album (plus download option) proves that the trio language is more varied and richer. «00» is experimental dive into a claustrophobic swamp of surreal, abstract textures, fractured pulse and distorted-wailing shrieks that abruptly morphs into rapid, manic onslaught, highlighting the tight interplay of ALBATRE.

The second side of this album feature the three-part piece «El Bicho» (The Bug). On the first part the sax and bass are veiled with thick walls of electronics pierced only by the massive, addictive rhythm of the drums. The second part stresses again the rhythm, this time a rapid grind of the drums amid a chaotic, psychedelic storm of sax wails and repetitive, heavy bass riffs. The last suggests another variation of the rhythm, now dictating a fierce slowed-down doom-metal pulse that intensify the nightmarish-psychedelic storm.

Obviously, weddings and other family ceremonies are ruled out. More likely a soundtrack for demonstrations against the greedy, inhuman neo-capitalist regimes.

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“Nagual” é o novo álbum dos Albatre by Rui Dinis in “A Trompa”
http://a-trompa.net/novidades/nagual-e-o-novo-album-dos-albatre
A editora Shhpuma tem novo disco! Melhor ainda, os Albatre têm um novo disco. Chama-se “Nagual” e marca o regresso aos discos do trio luso-germânico formado por Hugo Costa (saxofone), Gonçalo Almeida (baixo) e Philipp Ernsting (bateria). E é um regresso em grande, com cinco faixas de arrasadoras, nascidas de um estimulante encontro entre o free jazz e o noise. Altamente aconselhável.

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Albatre – Nagual “Successful punk-metal-free jazz noise” by Opduvel
http://opduvel.blogspot.nl/2015/10/geslaagde-heavy-jazz-zonder.html?spref=fb
Shhpuma, 2015

Albatre may be part of the New Wave Of Heavy Dutch Jazz, but Dutch are not found in this group. The trio consists of the Portuguese Hugo Costa (alto sax, loops) and Gonçalo Almeida (bass, effects, keyboards) and German Philipp Ernsting (drums, electronics). Albatre operates from Rotterdam, and in that sense way you can see their participation in The New Wave Of Heavy Dutch Jazz as justified.

Musically it can certainly, as well as at Cactus Truck, Dead Neanderthals and Donné Et Desirée that the music of Albatre its not the subtle kind. The title “punk-metal-free jazz noise ‘, which this music is classified on the website of record label Shhpuma covers it quite well. Jazzy rhythms or sensitive solos is no question: Albatre pops it hard and does so in “Nagual” with full conviction.

That starts in the album-opening title piece, which mainly occurs in the first part of the Italian Zu think gnarled, in fits and starts, a sample of a track is started and also in the future the raw energy is not released in a piece where bass and drums ensure fast rhythm and Costa is almost over blows his alto sax, so much so that you wonder whether he has inadvertently hung around a tenor or baritone. Just like on the last record of Zu, Cortar Todo, the saxophone on “Nagual” is not in the front of the mix, but the instrument makes part of the overall sound of Albatre.

By things are somewhat different approach. Slowly starting with a dark sounding piece played by a powerful sounding bass, fast drums and electronics, as subsequently supplemented with an alto sax now seeks higher regions, is gradually working towards a gripping climax where the pace and intensity almost imperceptibly go up and (re ) fits and starts a solution is sought, which is then found in an upbeat and almost freaky but controlled final chord.

Side 2 of the LP consists of the three-volume El Bicho, which is closer to noise rock than jazz. El Bicho I submit the saxophone in the first minute with the necessary electronics a whopping down a drone which the alto sax sounds heavy, interrupted only by a very short solo spot for bass. The electronic effects prevail in the second part, but rhythm continues bass and drums going. El Bicho I takes six minutes, but works so addictive that it should fill an entire plate edge.

With messy piano sounds and a saxophone that sounds as if it is played at some distance, El Bicho II started slowly, after which the track is quickly brought up steam. Here opted for a more angular but again addictive rhythm, accompanied by sparse saxklanken. Finally, there is the slow El Bicho III, a lingering piece of doom, noise and psychedelia is peppered.

Albatre sign with ‘Nagual’ back to front with a full and powerful sound that exciting, but above all it has to offer three musical showmanship much because it also contains a wealth of inventiveness and musicality. That all this is done without any form of ego-tripping contributes to a very successful album.

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Albatre – Nagual (Shhpuma) by Guy Peters in enola.be
http://www.enola.be/muziek/artikels/25984:the-portuguese-connection-2015-pt-3-goncalo-almeida

Almeida gave us a long time ago muilpeer of size with his companions Albatre. A Descent Into The Maelstrom was, in a style that best Zu, The Thing and the Belgian [sic] united, unpredictable winding beast that did not just tame. The contribution they gave to the compilation The New Wave Of Dutch Heavy Jazz was an equally eccentric bonus and when the whole mess in April landed in the cinéPalace (Kortrijk), Albatre made there for a headbutt which put a bloody end to an evening that the theme was freedom and pulverizing energy.

Spray may also be the most appropriate verb to describe the new album Nagual (currently only available on vinyl, and like its predecessor released in Shhpuma, a sub-label Clean Feed still Oba Loba João Norberto Lobo released earlier this year) because here is resolutely opted for a plump waffle to your head that you wipe the wall with life and limb. This follows the band a price which is comparable to that of Zu (a movement of more acrobatic punk jazz to that of a greasy core jazz doom), but it also sounds again personally. And Almeida’s colossal growling bass sound, which he so get to work at, say, The Melvins or countless other doom and sludge bands, is now more central than ever, is the thundering machine which to a large extent the impact of Nagual bepaalt. Not that the game of colleagues Hugo Costa (alto sax) and Philipp Ernsting (drums) is not interesting, on the contrary, but the impression that prevails is that of the overwhelming impact, the brute force.

From opener “Nagual” is immediately bumping very dry, a staccato attack of a trio that presents itself as the shock troops of a dark power. It’s heavy and it is by the stubborn repetition just yet brutal on. Gradually the timing is what bijgesleuteld, but it takes minutes for the trio trades in the repetitive collision course for an intense, threatening chaos that possibly even a scoop or two on top does. When you land at the end, you also get the impression that you have just survived a devastating sea storm. Ditto for “<>“, which pulls out with its sprawling drone / ambient textures and sci-fi tinged effects, before bursting into a monstrous wrenching jazz doom. The three-part “El Binho” move which expires income rate further, but introduces rhythms, sounds and interplay that with some good will might consider as infernal dance of the pump-or-swim-kind. Nagual is a grueling trip, but after trailing lock that actually reminiscent of the early psychedelic form of a Ufomammut, the versatility of Almeida’s already become much clearer.