We here at Fourculture love discovering new and underground music and A Tree Grows fits that bill exactly. It is also a thrill for us to have an exclusive and share their debut album with you. This is what you could call ‘sharing the wealth’ and boy is it worth it. So dive in and check out these ace sounds that will ease you into Spring.
Following their single “Wau Wau Water”, Brooklyn-based A Tree Grows present their eponymous debut record, set for release on March 17 through Rufftone Records, as well as their new video for “Future Calculations”.
The jazz ensemble delivers some sublime jazz-laced fusion with their debut record creating instrumental jazz-core that effortlessly traverses stylistic barriers.
Involving some of the most talented musicians on the New York scene, they conjure a unique stew with jazz at its core by blending afrobeat, rock and experimental sounds. This unique collaboration involves two brothers – Rashaan Carter and Russell Carter – and German-born electronic musician Emanuel Ruffler. Together, they create sonic textures, over which Tivon Pennicott and Duane Eubanks stretch a layer of raw, emotional jazz lines. Unafraid to defy expectations of style, instrumentation and expression, the unique signature of each member makes for a potent sonic concoction that is refreshing, insightful, and deliciously exciting.
With more than a nod to jazz pioneer Miles Davis, A Tree Grows invoke fantastic rhythms, tasteful melodic lines and a deep deep groove.
Throughout the album they fuse genres and eras with an infinite ease. From the lo-fi IDM loops of the opener “A Tree Grows”, through the sweet melancholic “Millions of Years” to the 70’s fused soul and disco grooves of “Out and About”. “Tragic” is a jittering free-form ride of twists and drops whereas “Future Calculations” tonality and building chords gives the music a subtle shifting quality.
There are hints of Herbie Hancock among the hypnotic melodies and shuffling beats. Juxtaposing these mellower and smoother sounds are slotted darker moments, spookier passages. Moments of stark ambience filled with static, ghosting transmissions and abstract percussion appear on “2 Years, 16 Days And 24 Minutes”.
Closing out with the upbeat and optimistic “Wau Wau Water”, A Tree Grows is an LP that works on many different levels; it can be played as background music and equally rewards close listening.
Listen to the full album below.
https://soundcloud.com/emanuel-ruffler/sets/a-tree-grows-lp/s-CsMtS
A Tree Grows is out March 17 through Rufftone Records.
A Tree Grows / Rufftone Records on the web:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
