John Medeski, Skerik and Adam Deitch have all thrived on the fringes of jazz — fringe-y enough that some wouldn’t even call what they’re playing jazz at all — but now the three have pooled their skills together for a new project very likely to excite those who like progressive-minded instrumentals.
DRKWAV is the collective of the noted keyboardist, saxophonist and drummer, and it might be easy to assume that this could be some soul-jazz Hammond B3 outfit or maybe a jam band outfit that’s something along the lines of Skerik’s Garage A Trois or Medeski’s Medeski, Martin and Wood. You would be wrong on both counts.
At least, going off the advance stream provided above, you would be. “Darkwave” is not an improv-happy tune but rather, more of a psychedelic trance. Actually, this would be a killer soundtrack for some futuristic thriller. Waves of synthesized lusciousness overlaid on Deitch’s hi-hat/snare ride, and eventually Skerik joins in with wails and circular patterns from the darkness. Is there such a thing as ‘dark ambient groove’? There is, now.
“Darkwave” is part of DRKWAV’s upcoming album The Purge that will be available from Royal Potato Family on February 24.
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