Minimal Orchestra, a duo in the studio and a quintet on the road, are a group that craft and play delicate, expressive jazz tinged with electronic influences. As their brand new LP, ‘Lift Off’, drops on France-based label I.O.T Records, DMCWorld go back to mine with Minimal Orchestra
Boards of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest
The kind of record I always go back to gladly, one of Boards of Canada’s most balanced record in my opinion, I’m always amazed by how they manage to create something very unique and touching.
Forss – Soulhack
Amazing album from one of the creators of Soundcloud (yes ), to me it represents the perfect blend of jazz and electronic, the perfect sampled based music… So musical.
Plaid – The Digging Remedy
Plaid has always been a huge part of my influences. It’s the only electronic band that you can recognise after 3 notes.
Floating Points – Crush
That one just blew my mind. So clever in every aspect, sound design, modulations, minimalism (but not so much). I always go back to this one to make me remember how important it is to think sound as an organic living thing.
Deru – 1979
I love Deru since my very early years as a musician and that record was a very good surprise for me, as he took an interesting new path towards ambient, but you still can recognise his beautiful sound and cleverness.
Miles Davis – E.S.P
I couldn’t do this list without quoting the Miles Davis quintet, as a jazz pianist, I think this quintet literally took jazz to the skies. Period.
Dawn of Midi – Dysnomia
Another one that blew my mind when it got out. I’m addicted to this perfect sense of repetition, the precision of everything in this album. How the drummer sounds here is just crazy.
Chick Corea – Now He Sings Now He Sobs
Chick Corea has been the first pianist that I worked as a student pianist, I used to transcribe his children song form tapes and vinyls my mother had. Big influence in my piano playing.
Aphex Twin – Drukqs
That one was also kinda mandatory. Very unique in his discography, I really think he reached a pinnacle on this one, and the idea of putting pieces in between ultra crazy tracks is brilliant. Also all of his Analord series is really cool.
Weather Report – Black Market
This one is for my mother and my friend PJ . We listened to this vinyl all the time at home and it is still a immense pleasure to listen to it for me. They were so in advance of their time, it is clearly the very first electro jazz band in my opinion.
Minimal Orchestra ‘Lift Off’ is out now on I.O.T Records.
https://www.juno.co.uk/products/minimal-orchestra-lift-off/921326-01/
