This is the first album from Blue Fields, a trio comprising DJ Mike Shannon, guitarist Takeshi Nishimoto and vocalist Fadila. They make atmospheric sound pictures that lean towards the avant garde, with elements of modern jazz mixed in among the slowly moving beats. None of this makes for over-taxing listening, mind, as there is an overall ambience that makes the trio’s music fit snugly into the middle foreground. On tracks like ‘Carmens Ghost’ the beats are tougher and make a satisfying brand of deep house, while ‘Seven x Seven’ and ‘Eternal Fields’ find blissful areas of wide open space with softly brushed keyboards and Nishimoto’s thoughtful yet dreamy guitar lines. It’s quite a long album, but one whose shape shifting works extremely well in the small hours.
Ben Hogwood
4 out of 5
