Seattle's
High Pulp
are an effusively cross-pollinated instrumental collective with a sound that straddles the line between avant-garde jazz, psychedelic post-rock, and experimental electronic music. It's a vibrant mix that made their 2020 debut,
Bad Juice
, such an ear-popping surprise and one that they further expand on 2022's equally far-reaching
Pursuit of Ends
. Once again, much of the group's sound stems from drummer/bandleader
Bobby Granfelt
's infectious beats. Here, he is joined by longtime bandmates keyboardists
Rob Homan
and
Antoine Martel
, guitarist
Scott Rixon
, and saxophonists
Andrew Morrill
Victory Nguyen
. Together, they play with a textured, deeply analog groove aesthetic that draws from a wide array of influences, including the space jazz of
Sun Ra
, the edgy electronic dance music of
Aphex Twin
, and the acid-soaked jazz fusion of
Miles Davis
' early-'70s work. They also bring along a small cadre of horn players who add yet more polyphonic atmospheres throughout, as on the opening "Ceremony," where warm Afrobeat horns pierce the frenetic electro-jazz rhythm. Also helping
raise the bar this time out are a handful of guest improvisers. Saxophonist
Jaleel Shaw
brings a soulful,
Wayne Shorter
-esque attitude to his solo in "All Roads Lead to Los Angeles," a track that seamlessly blends the '70s fusion of
Weather Report
with a kinetic, jungle drum and bass rhythm. Equally potent is "Wax Hands," a sparkling dreamscape featuring harpist
Brandee Younger
, and "You've Got to Pull It Up from the Ground," a kaleidoscopic group improv featuring trumpeter
Theo Croker
that evokes the spiraling '70s free funk of Detroit's
Tribe Records
. ~ Matt Collar