reviewed: 26.1.25 by Ben

nala Sinephro - Endlessness

warp records | september 06 2024 | experimental jazz

    Nala Sinaphro, an exciting ambient and free jazz composer from Belgium, has delivered a captivating new work with Endlessness. Building on the promise of her previous releases, this album blends modular synthesis with jazz in a way that feels fresh, seamless, and deeply immersive. While reminiscent of the late Pharoah Sanders' collaboration with Floating Points on Promises, which received international acclaim before the saxophonist’s passing, Sinaphro leans more into electronic and jazz elements, carving out her own distinct space.

    My introduction to Endlessness came when I was browsing for Bandcamp Friday releases. After previewing the first track for just a few seconds, I was hooked and immediately pre-ordered the album and excitingly waited for release. Jazz and synths? Readers might come to quickly realise this is the way to my heart.

    The album’s structure is impressive for its fluidity. It transitions so effortlessly from passage to passage that at times I questioned whether it was a continuous piece. The result is a deeply cohesive journey, enhanced by beautifully intimate saxophone recordings, performed by both James Mollison and the great Nubya Garcia (who released a wonderful soul record last year). Their contributions, along with Sinaphro’s careful compositions, bring emotional depth and rawness to the music.

    Morgan Simpson, "of Black Midi fame," deserves mention as well. His drumming adds texture and energy to the introductory track, but to pigeonhole him simply as the drummer from Black Midi would be a disservice—he is a vital part of Endlessness in his own right.

    What really stands out is Sinaphro’s ability to transform a simple one-bar arpeggio into something endlessly engaging. Through subtle manipulations and layering, she draws the listener into different aspects of the soundscape, making you forget the arpeggio is looping the entire time. The repetition never feels tiresome—it’s captivating and continually evolving, like a musical puzzle that keeps shifting its form.

  Another highlight is the dynamic interplay between the instruments. Sinaphro creates moments that feel like genuine conversations between the musicians, each one responding to the other with remarkable synergy. There’s one particular passage in Track 7 where I imagine a parent-child argument about bedtime, with the instruments playing off each other in a tense yet playful exchange.

    Compared to Sinaphro’s earlier work Space 1.8, which was rich with field recordings and continuous variation, Endlessness is far more minimalistic. It’s centered around that single arpeggio motif, creating a meditative, cohesive experience. While some listeners might find the repetition challenging, others will appreciate the hypnotic quality of the piece. I will say I miss the field recordings that gave Space 1.8 such an atmospheric touch, but Endlessness manages to build its own atmosphere through simplicity and focus.

    With Endlessness, Nala Sinaphro continues to refine her sound while staying true to her unique approach. This album feels like a natural evolution in her discography, and I’m excited to see where she takes us next.