There are no signs of slowing down for Australian jazz masters The Necks. Following the release of the excellent Bleed in 2024, the legendary trio makes a return with their 20th full-length record, Disquiet. Long-form compositions are nothing new for the trio, but here they dive headfirst into a three-hour tour de force, traversing the abstract and meditative territories they have explored across nearly four decades.
Ambient retreats have become a staple for the band, setting up their mesmerizing trance, acting as a pathway to their meditative state. "Rapid Eye Movement" relishes this approach, its slow drift reminiscent of the tired sounds of Stars of the Lid. Subtle piano lines and organ echo through this vast space, while the poignant double bass fills the low-end. There is something of a post-rock flavour here, showing again in the start of "Causeway," where the dreamy lines create an ethereal presence, an imagery that could have slipped out of Paris, Texas.
This ambient space is the perfect ground for The Necks, for two primary reasons. Firstly, the sense of subtlety is preserved. There is something strangely economical about the trio's performance, a deliberate restraint where others might leap into action. The drumming is active and vibrant, but it shows a sense of serenity and reassurance. It is the same case for the piano and the double bass. Yet this never slips into a defeated minimalism. The contrary is true. The attention to detail here is staggering, and within this free-flowing space they explore strange and intricate ideas. The drumming may suddenly roar into frantic motion, yet its dynamics remain firmly controlled. The double bass can descend to towering renditions, but it never breaks the subtle spell.
It leads to a constant building up of tension, that never truly breaks. Even as actions become more rapid, and the structures gain definition, the composition becomes enriched but without going over the the top. "Ghost Net" is the clearest example, a composition torn between improvisational moods that strain against each other, yet lift the whole. It feels completely otherworldly, an alien recital drifting into our orbit, now waiting to be deciphered.
This extraordinary concoction imbues Disquiet with its deeply meditative quality. And it makes its long duration fly by in what feels like moments. There is so much emotive richness that accompanies the long-form compositions, from the hypnotic glow of "Rapid Eye Movement," to the free-spirited pulse of "Ghost Net" and the uplifting sway of "Causeway" to the sentimental and melancholic take of "Warm Running Sunlight." It is simply another record by The Necks, which is to say, another work of quiet brilliance.
