The fire and fury of ‘60s free jazz and the tumult of electronic rock-tinged experimental music is on full display on this new powerhouse offering from four cutting edge Oslo-based musicians collectively known as Reflection in Cosmo. With Kjetil Møster on saxes, Hans Magnus Ryan on guitar, Ståle Storløkken on keyboards and Thomas Strønen on drums, these four kindred spirits strike a tumultuous accord on their self-titled debut on RareNoise, which represents Møster’s followup on RareNoise to his edgy avant-jazz collaboration in 2014 with the Hungarian power trio JÜ.
At times recalling the ferocious intensity of the late ‘80s free jazz quartet Last Exit (Peter Brotzman, Sonny Sharrock, Bill Lawell, Ronald Shannon Jackson), this potent Norwegian outfit pushes the envelope with Møster’s blowtorch intensity on baritone and tenor saxes, Ryan’s wailing electric guitar work, Storløkken’s crunchy, distortion-laced keyboards and Strønen’s thunderous drumming.