Awakening

This, the critical second full-length album of Àbáse (stage name of Hungarian keyboardist and producer Szabolcs Bognár) follows up Laroyê, his acclaimed Afro-Brazilian inspired debut, a Top of the World in Songlines #173. Newly based in Berlin, Bognár takes fusion to further levels with Awakening, mixing influences, from Hungarian folk to Lagos Afrobeat, techno, hip-hop and more; collaborating with the city’s leading jazz musicians from Australia, Ghana, Germany and Hungary. A clear jazz motif connects each of the 12 tracks, which are neatly balanced between upbeat and reflective. A balance which perhaps expresses Bognár’s spiritual beliefs: ‘… the way we experience life on earth … will shift upon our transition or ‘death’, and it’s only a pathway to something higher.’ Overall, I’d have liked a little more edge to these seamless tracks, particularly as enriched by Eric Owusu’s soulful vocals, on ‘Shango’ and ‘Menidaso’. It’s another slick and tightly orchestrated album, however, and will undoubtedly reward repeat listening.