Qwalia is the experimental, improvisational home for a quartet of some of London’s most prolific and dynamic musicians. Led by drummer Yusuf Ahmed, much of the band’s music so far surfaced in a single and fruitful two-day jam session at the Fish Factory in Willesden, West London. Qwalia returned with new music on July 5th with the LP Abbreviations, a collection of seven jazz-funk instrumental tracks with dashes of psychedelic colors.
Qwalia’s work spans a wide range of musical aesthetics culminating in psych-folk, sophisticated funk, ambient, and avant-pop. It all goes down smoothly, like a cold glass of iced tea on a hot day.
Abbreviations and the rest of the group’s work are improvisational. However, the band’s innate musical abilities make it hard to believe, at times, that these pieces weren’t written and developed over weeks. Qwalia conjures these beautiful pieces at the moment with no prior rehearsal. They say the music is an instinctive aural expression of how things seem in the moment of creation.
The group features Ben Reed on bass (Frank Ocean, David Byrne), Tal Jones on guitar (Jordan Rakei), and Joseph Costi on keys and synths (Cat Stevens, Tom Herbert). Qwalia’s debut record, Sound and Reason, was released in March 2023, so it’s good to know there’s other material to dig into.
The tribal percussion of “Majolica” combines with a divine groove that’s both earthy and otherworldly. “For Future Reference” is much quieter and softer, but like all the tracks on Abbreviations, it’s played with a primal creativity. “Valeria” shows the band’s versatility and ability to navigate different musical realms, featuring tight funk rhythms and a pulsating bass. That’s just a sampling of the seven excellent tracks.
Abbreviations is a fascinating record that showcases a group of highly talented musicians playing with a melting pot of influences. Fans of many genres should love it, especially those who love the thrill of listening to improvisational music unfold in weird and boundless patterns. Enjoy!
Check out Abbreviations by Qwalia on Bandcamp here.
Consider supporting The Third Eye on Patreon here.
Leave a Reply