Shining-Black Jazz

Indie
2009



Shining's "Black Jazz" isn't particularly black in the sense of being dark because it's largely upbeat and it's not exactly jazz in any traditional sense. What we have here is layers of frenzied sounds covered with synths and over-the-top electronics. It's loud without being heavy and they don't really to build and depth. Instead the sounds just push and fly forward, but not in any particular pattern. While multi-layered noise can be good, I think it needs a focus or something that will draw me in. I can certainly embrace off the wall music if there is some hook or a point that really grabs. This is more like video game music gone wild as it's all over the place. I wasn't expecting an easy listen, but I was hoping for some moments where this band would extabish something that would make me want to hear more. That just didn't happen enough. Instead they just ramble on without a real plan and the songs tend to stop rather than come to any fitting end. I admire their desire to bring numerous sounds and tones to the table, but their sense of order or lack of order just failed to make me care about this album.