Quasi

In the intervening two years between Ariwo's acclaimed self-titled debut and follow-up Quasi, the group have become deeply embedded in London's live circuit. Bandleader Pouya Ehsaei's weekly improvisation session, Parasang, has seen a diverse array of performers pass through its doors, with Grime MC Trim and saxophonist Binker Golding demonstrating this breadth. This propensity for – and attentiveness to – collaborative improvisation has seeped into Quasi: an inventive sonic exploration.

Golding's caustic tone bursts through three minutes into opener ‘Ireme’, and this is the first of a number of notable interventions. The stilted drum groove of ‘Dasht’ is enlivened by some inspired playing from pianist Joe Armon-Jones, juxtaposing agitated runs with soft chordal decays. Elsewhere, Yelfris Valdés' trumpet flourishes colour and augment the evolving soundscapes that Ehsaei conjures.

Indeed, the flexibility borne out of Ehsaei's club-driven experimentations remains the enduring appeal of this ensemble. Offering up a palpable bed of pounding bass and mutating synth lines, this enables Ariwo's percussionists Hammadi Valdes and Oreste Noda to tentatively work in new ideas, allowing them to form and crystallise before disappearing into the ether. Moments of reprise are joyous – such as Valdés' triumphant return at the close of ‘El Alacrán’ – and the fluidity afforded by this approach imbues Quasi with preternatural mystique.