To warm me up to their latest signing, the Australian Krakatau, The Growing Bin & associates sent over a link to a video, made two years prior, of the band performing live at Riddell`s Creek (1). I always try to be obliging with a soundbite, and quickly barked out “The Greg Foat Group (2) meets Pink Floyd in Pompeii” (3). Which left the band nonplussed, as they didn`t know who Greg Foat was (I love Greg Foat). Repeated viewings of this initial clip have led me to add “as if rewired by Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe jamming with Ariel Kalma (4), before hitting a groove like Cale & Riley`s “Church Of Anthrax” (5)".

The film that accompanies the new Growing Bin 12 - which takes its name from Ascraeus, Pavonis, & Arisa, the three volcanos that make up the “Tharsis Montes” plateau of the red planet, Mars - is described by Krakatau themselves as “public access Jazz Band meets Totalitarian Sci-Fi”. An “impressionistic interpretation” of its inspiring landscape - “an otherworldly space.” On record, the title track is suitably cosmic Funk, created by the trio of bass, keys and drums, with cymbal shimmer still set for the heart of the Sun, and Moog loosely oscillating like the twang of stretched elastic. Like Leon Lowman bumpin` as that same Sun sets (6). The flip “Apogean Tide” is more straight ahead Jazz, pulling in that original Greg Foat reference, backing a sax taking Icarus flights at the spiritual arcs of Pharaoh Sanders (7) or Coltrane`s “A Love Supreme” (8).

You can order directly from The Growing Bin here.

• Reference Links:
• (1) Riddell`s Creek
• (2) The Greg Foat Group
• (3) Pink Floyd in Pompeii
• (4) Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe & Ariel Kalma
• (5) Church Of Anthrax
• (6) Leon Lowman
• (7) Pharaoh Sanders
• (8) A Love Supreme