Australian label Art As Catharsis has delivered many brilliant acts over the years, but one that always sticks with me is the fantastic jazz-rock outfit COAST. On their first two records, they delivered motif-rich, punchy jazz-rock, an ideal counterbalance to the burgeoning experimental jazz movement sweeping the UK and the US at the time. Structured,flowing tunes with the right amount of high- quality jazz rambling to keep you hooked and engaged. Their 2023 live album showed how deftly and successfully the band could manipulate their tracks live, not needing to layer in 10 minutes of solos to make the songs seem magnificent – COAST simply deliver.
Ember is, however, much more accessible than both of the previous records. There is more variety in the tracks, and they also dial it back a lot more than previous records – that is until you listen to them loud. I’ve spent way too long with this record and experienced it in every manner I possibly could before turning in. The one listen which truly unlocked my love for it, surpassing my years-long passion for their previous was on a walk with my dog, after a frustrating day at work. I cranked it loud on my headphones and sunk into the unbelievable production of the record.
Title track “Ember” alone should be enough to blow you away, but “The Path And The River” is the track that really gets me. The layering at the climax of the song is absolutely stunning. Usually that amount of instrumentation intersecting becomes a mess, but the recording, production and mastering of this track is outstanding. The bass is unbelievably rich and ensconcing and the drums have an incredible width to them that sets a perfect stage for piano and horns.
COAST are masters of building back up to riffs, and where the production helps so much on Ember is where the layers scale back. Those sudden voids leave you yearning for more, whilst you’re also able to appreciate the stunning sound of the instruments that remain. You appreciate the drum kit on Ember more than any jazz album I’ve listened to in a good while, not only because Paul Derricott can smash those pads like you wouldn’t believe, but because the flows always lead somewhere epic.
“Kyeemagh” is the punchiest track on the album, with absolutely popping climaxes and a short run-length, this is a perfect track to show mates to wet their beaks. Follow up with “Hiatus” for a longer track but with more rewarding summits than its forebear. On my first few listens to the album, where I maybe got distracted towards the end by the doldrum of the day to day, I was confused why they stuffed “Ember”, which I considered the best track, at the start. Over multiple listens, I realised that they simply started strong and layered in a really good variety of songs in the middle, broadening their palette of sound considerably compared to Skim and their self-titled.
The guitar work on “Wander” is particularly brilliant. The solo that kicks off soon after the beginning of the track, which slowly becomes a duet with horns, is one of my stand out moments on the album. The drum work that sits behind is also absolutely amazing, injecting incredible amounts of energy into the track, dancing around like embers in the wind.
Closing out of nine tracks, this was an album worth waiting six years for. Not only is it chock-full of brilliant variety, it sounds unbelievable on anything you play it on. The horns instil a fantastic air of hope throughout the record too, countering a lot of the darker jazz that seems to be kicking about in the rock space right now. Do make sure to play it loud to soak in all the layers, especially the bass and the stunning ambient soundscapes that smatter the record. Overall a stunning comeback, let’s hope for more soon!
