Anders Ahlen Unit - Lines And Dots (2014/2017) [Official Digital Download]

Stylishness aside, the music on Lines and Dots is subtle yet tough, sinewy and risky in all the right ways. Splitting the difference between free jazz and post bop, Ahlén and his crew manage to sound distinctive without resorting to gimmicks. On guitar, Ahlén has an edgy yet understated sound. Though he uses distortion, his approach is like that of a master chef when dealing with a strong, exotic spice: just enough to make the flavors distinctive. He doesn't play totally effects-free, but he doesn't go all out bonkers with the whammy bar and pedals either. His approach is percussive and hard-edged; contrasting with the horns and standing out over the drums. He rarely comps during others' solos, and when he does interject something it really stands out. His compositions balance pensive, chill Euro-Jazz with the sort of approach that characterizes that mid-1960s wave of boldly adventurous post-bop / pre-fusion jazz. Not that Ahlén is consciously aping that sound, or has his concept stuck in some 50-year-old recordings, but the inspiration of mid-60s avant-jazz in the young Swede's music is quite palpable.