Curiosities From The Shift

Description

Over the past five years, Joe Westerlund has developed a passion for the clave, the rhythmic pattern at the root of so much Afro-Cuban and Latin music, before it permeated jazz and rock. This obsession led to *Curiosities from the Shift*, a 12-track album where intertwined rhythms and textural experiments converge. It's a dive into the unknown, where the drummer's rhythmic symphony dialogues with the contributions of guest musicians. The first half of the album unfolds as a three-part suite, from the intricate and vibrant groove of "Tem" to the surreal boom-bap of "Can Tangle." Each track is built on an identifiable rhythm — the swaying gait of "Midpoint," the insistent pulse of "Persurverance" — but serves as a springboard to other textures. New-age echoes, dub influences, gamelan reminiscences: Westerlund's music weaves contrasts, between melancholy and joy, liberation and gravity. After the initial sessions, he invited several collaborators — Tim Rutilli (Califone), Sam Gendel, Trever Hagen, Libby Rodenbough, and Chris Jusell — who enriched the whole with grace and depth. To Westerlund's own surprise, the album emphasizes groove and metric rather than abstraction. Playful and tender, both introspective and luminous, *Curiosities from the Shift* stands out as his most accomplished work, a sonic and emotional map with unexpected horizons.