Embyo is one of the German bands that made the history of Progressive music, with their unique blend Jazz and Krautrock sound. Since the death of the band leader Christian Burchard, his daughter Marja, who grew up following the band between tour and recording studio, has taken up the legacy and given a new life to the group. From 2018 Marja has started with Embryo the recordings of the new album “Auf Auf” released on November 13, 2021 released thanks to the American Hip-Hop artist Madlib Invazion great fan of the band. Containing 6 tracks between 4 and over 16 minutes, this album continues the musical discourse carried out over the years by Embryo, making it current thanks also to the collaboration of the new members of the band. The album opens with “Besh” characterized by a very elaborate piano intro and refined sonorities, which from the very first notes seems to have been recorded in the 70s. The Ethno-Jazz atmospheres of the band are present and the musical intertwining seems to come out of one of their early albums. The winds are an added value of the sound, with high-level solo inserts, but one of the things we notice is that Marja plays the same instruments as her father, carrying on the musical discourse undertaken by Christian. The following “Yu Mala” begins with a deep bass with cues closer to Jazz and the first vocal parts that give an Ethnic touch to the sound. With hypnotic bass lines and Psychedelic traits this track envelops and cradles us, closing our eyes seems to be back to the 70s, a real pleasure. The refined and intricate melodies show all the techniques of the artists involved, with very intense solo inserts. We are on the title track “Auf Auf” characterized by a percussive drum intro to which is added a deep and hypnotic bass line and wind melodies. The band is able to create mystical atmospheres that transport the listener making him travel to very pleasant distant musical worlds. The sax offers in the first part an intricate and very technical solo cue, with the intensity that increases with the passage of the piece and the insertion of the wind instruments. A track full of energy, elaborate phrasing techniques at the highest levels, a pleasure to listen to musical passages like this. “Baran” features more oriental sounds with percussion, picking up melodies from Arab countries and bringing them into context a la Embryo, simply fantastic. In the finale the track is enriched with more modern synth sounds, an intense passage close to World Music. The epic track “Januar” is the longest on the record, with over 16 minutes in length, a fine blend of World Music, Jazz and the personal touch of Embryo. A supporting section of the album, full of ideas and tempo changes, with all the artists involved exhibiting their personal technique with many instruments used between solos and intricate plots. The sound is very reminiscent of the productions of the ’70s, especially in some passages of organ and electric piano, where multiple styles and influences mix giving life to the embryo sounds. A perfect combination that manages to bring an elaborate sound back to the present day with this long, exciting and intense song from start to finish. Closes the album “Alphorn Prayer” characterized by more Ambient sounds with constantly evolving atmospheric sounds and percussion. A passage where the sound experimentation is more present with more refined sounds and intricate textures that in the finale increases in intensity but also becomes more elaborate and pleasantly closes this listening. A record that manages to convey the same good sensations as the band’s historic records, thanks to the ability of Marja and the artists present to make certain sounds current. Very elaborate and rich in technique this album is very intense, with high level passages that remind us of the golden years of the genre. A listening recommended to all lovers of Krautrock and Jazz Prog sounds, those who know Embryo will be pleasantly impressed by this record.
Tracklist
1. Besh (05:24)
2. Yu Mala (04:09)
3. Auf Auf (09:08)
4. Baran (04:00)
5. Januar (16:43)
6. Alphorn Prayer (07:41)
Lineup
Marja Burchard / Organ, Rhodes, Synthesizer, Vibraphone, Trombone, Santur, Percussion, Drums
Maasl Maier / Bass, Guitar, Saxophone, Synthesizer, Cümbüs
Jan Weissenfeldt / Guitar
Wolfi Schlick / Flute, Soprano & Tenor Saxophones
Jakob Thun / Drums
Sascha Lüer / Trumpet, Soprano Saxophone
Roman Bunka / Oud on “Besh”
Mohcine Ramdan / Ghembri, Vocals on “Yu Mala”
Abdul Samad Habibi / Rubab on “Baran”
Parvis Ayan / Tabla on “Baran”
Johannes Schleiermacher / Tenor Saxophone on “Auf Auf”
Groxi / Drums on “Alphorn Prayer”
Münchner Alphorn Kollektiv on “Alphorn Prayer”
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