“Incredible independent music from Bristol. These guys just get better with every release”
Gilles Peterson
“A deeply arresting sound from one of our favourite cities, simply beautiful”
Mary Anne Hobbs
“Making music that’s pitched somewhere between astral jazz, burbling electronica, trippy minimalism, psychedelic dub and 20 years of club culture.” Contemporary album of the month
The Guardian
“A band seemingly capable of doing anything, yet remaining fleet footedly themselves throughout.”
The Wire
Following a banner year for Pete Cunningham, best known as dextrous saxophonist Ishmael and leader of the namesake Ishmael Ensemble, 2019 now brings debut album‘A State of Flow.’ This new long player builds on Cunningham’s work as proud protector of Bristolian heritage, sketching loving sonic pictures of the South West in his Bristol-inspired ‘Severn Songs’ series, whilst also incubating local visual and musical talent, within the Ensemble.
‘A State Of Flow’ touches on various styles of jazz, stirring ambient invocations, club-ready percussive workouts, spiralling grooves & hazy psychedelic electronica. This would be a confusing melange, but for Cunningham’s excursions as a genre-agnostic DJ, something evident in the real house shuffle of ‘Lapwing’, which evokes walking into a smoky after hours haunt and finding a session in full, forward motion or the organic garage beats of ‘Full Circle’ and classic trip hop style ‘Waterfall’ fuelled by Holysseus Fly’s honey toned and evocative vocals.
This album, borne of strong vision and stronger hometown pride, embellishes Ishmael Ensemble as one of the UK’s finest new groups. As shown across ‘A State of Flow’, the future of Bristol’s musical legacy is in more than capable hands.
