Recording of the Week, Kinkajous, 'Being Waves'

Photo credit: Alex Kozobolis

London-based quintet Kinkajous made an excellent first impression upon listeners in 2019 with their studio debut Hidden Lines, a slick combination of modern jazz, orchestral and electronic music that earned the band generous praise from critics and listeners alike. Sitting apart from the other side of London jazz - those with more of an Afro-Caribbean influence to their sound like Sons of Kemet or Melt Yourself Down - Kinkajous have more in common with the more cinematic and ambient sounds of their contemporaries GoGo Penguin and Portico Quartet, as well as the city’s electronic music scene. Indeed, the formation of the band itself was informed by founding members Benoît Parmentier and Adrien Cau’s mutual love of jazz and electronic producers like Four Tet and Floating Points - the latter of whom, interestingly, released a collaborative record with Pharaoh Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra this year - as well as a shared background in orchestral playing, Parmentier being a drummer and Cau doubling on saxophone and clarinet. Completing the lineup is keyboardist/pianist Maria Chiara Argirò, bassist Andres Castellanos and synth player Jack Doherty, the group striking a chord with listeners for their blending of acoustic and electronic instrumentation and moody, evocative songwriting.

A good part of this record’s organic feel comes from the man behind the kit, Benoît Parmentier, whose style of fluid and austere drumming is all over Being Waves. Be it the skittering off-kilter beats of tracks like ‘Convolution’ or ‘The Eyes’, or complementing the thick bass synthesiser on ‘NOOMS’ with a steady groove, Parmentier always understands the assignment. The synthesis, too, is a particular personal standout for this record; as far as jazz-meets-electronic acts go, Kinkajous manage to pull off some of the more adventurous uses of electronics, rather than simply swapping out an upright for a keybass or adding a light ambient pad here and there. Instead, Jack Doherty’s synthwork ranges from bright, shimmering bands to downright filthy bass grooves and rough pulsating textures, and with some tasteful mixing its implementation is never overpowering.

There were times throughout Being Waves when I was reminded of the output of electronic artists on London label Erased Tapes - Rival Consoles and Nils Frahm in particular come to mind - Doherty’s clearly experienced with his kit. The band also make use of some creative sampling techniques - the opening to ‘It Blooms/Then Nothing’ has what seems to be a simmering bed of trumpet-like sounds playing underneath, coupled with some light string orchestration above to mesmerising effect. It’s Adrien Cau’s woodwinds that play the voice of the pieces, be it his quietly wailing saxophone or low, crooning bass clarinet, and even the soaring double-tracked flutes on ‘Cloaks’. It’s an interesting palette of sounds for sure, and a refreshing one at that.

These novel sounds are all well and good, and Kinkajous make sure to get some good use out of them; similar to their contemporaries, the material throughout Being Waves is multi-faceted and dynamic, coupled with a tasteful ear for mood and harmony. It was both this acoustic-synthetic blend of sounds and explorative song structures that earned Kinkajous their first wave of critical praise, and on Being Waves they only further hone their signature style. While they certainly aren’t the first group to marry the acoustic sounds of the jazz band with contemporary electronica, few hit the mark like Kinkajous do. Never falling into the trap of extended noodle-sessions like a more traditional jazz band might, Being Waves feels like a remarkably deliberate record, revealing surprising new depth with each subsequent listen.