EABS Meets Jaubi – In Search of A Better Tomorrow (Astigmatic, 2023)
The album In Search of A Better Tomorrow is an impressive collaboration between EABS (a Polish jazz band with a proven track record of four studio releases) and Jaubi, a Lahore-based quartet rooted in classical Hindustani traditions. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, both groups have an eclectic array of influences and a shared love for 90s hip-hop, resulting in intriguing and rewarding music.
The album showcases songs that confidently blend varying styles, resulting in a captivating and dynamic listening experience. Some themes comment on social, climatic and political issues around the Globe.
They all share a standard search for “a better tomorrow”. Some tracks express adversity, while others offer hope, like ‘Sun’, ‘Tomorrow’, and ‘Madhuvanti’.
‘In Search of a Better Tomorrow’ is an exceptional album featuring contrasting but complimentary voices, each with the same inspired fluency to deliver the album’s central message. The album is a highly inventive blend of Hindustani-infused magic and infectious electric beats. ‘Raise Your Hearts, Drop Your Guns’ is a standout track and the album’s most gorgeous piece of music.
The album’s first part is exceptional, while the second is a bit different and contains minimalistic music. Tomorrow’s song opens with nostalgic and melancholic synthesizers and the string instrument sarangi. Bass guitar and tabla anchor the interplay in elegiac jazz, while a plaintive call-and-response unfolds between Moog, saxophone, and piano.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds, EABS and Jaubi have a natural fit and chemistry that creates a cultural exchange that finds a kindred soul in the other. This collaboration is a testament to their artistic prowess and has the potential to inspire new combinations from amongst the Astigmatic roster.
It is highly recommended!
Buy In Search of A Better Tomorrow.
Author: Ian Bevington
