The release of Qvark’s mediterranean soaked demo recordings marks what seems to be an exciting new phase for Early Sounds Recordings, one that is focused on archival digging, restorations, and reissues. As always with EAS, the pressing and presentation are fantastic, with artwork that just nails the vibe and even a list of the gear used. The music itself moves from joyous funk-disco to fiery progressive fusion, serving as a nice historical counterpart to Nu Guinea’s Nuova Napoli (though originating from Milan in this case) and at times feeling like Growing Bin’s recent Señora release, but as if that group were scoring a sunset disco party on the Italian Riviera.
Qvark - Qvark (Early Sounds Recordings, 2018)
“Strano” starts things out with faraway waves of oceanic synthesizer accompanied by Blade Runner sax, before dropping into a breezy fusion groove led by springy slapbass and jaunty pianos. Saxophones moan wildly in each ear, bluesy and loose, and things take a turn towards the dramatic near the end as the horns alternate between virtuosic soloing and long emotional arcs, all over downtempo rhythms and smooth affecting basslines. Next is “Mi Alzo”, and the bass and electric guitar interplay here is just amazing. Rubbery slippery basslines wiggle all over the place, tight and loose, as quacking guitars take turns riffing out funky licks. A brass section wails over top, desperate and haunted, reminding me of Albert Ayler for some reason. And there are these triumphant transitions with blown out fuzz theatrics bookending a hard-hitting and propulsive section full of dark hypnotic saxophone lines and cosmic harmonica. The intensity only increases with “Permesso?”, which crosses that fine line from jazz fusion into all out prog rock. Distorted guitar pyrotechnics explode over the tight rhythm section in long snaking melodies, accompanied by harmonizing brass. Heady start/stop sections interrupt the flow, every instrument locked together in fiery syncopation. And witness the blistering solo passages: expansive guitar spirals, gooey synth shredding, and guttural and physical saxophone runs that eventually drift into moodier noir textures.
The B-side is dominated by “Qvark Disco Club”, presented in two surprisingly different versions. The “Vocale” mix begins with a soaring cosmic prologue…laser lights, phaser synths, sparkling arps, before a majestic prog transition leads to some vocal led Italo-disco classicism. The singing is emotional and earnest, switching fluidly between powerful solo sections and bright catchy group harmonies, while clean walking guitar lines accompany the ecstatic rhythms. It’s a bright mediterranean stomp; sunshine dancing on a hot Milan afternoon. For the “Strumentale” mix, we get a less far out introduction, this time built on funky slinky bass licks over hats, kick, and snare. The prog leaning transitions are still here, just streamlined and groovier, not quite as disruptive, and accompanied by spacey percolating electronics. The vocal absence puts focus on the soulful swelling horn harmonies belting out in classic disco bombast, as well as the twangy guitars soloing towards the sun. We end with the slow simmer of “Lino’s Theme”, a nice break after the fusion storm of the preceding five tracks. The percussion is more overtly electronic and develops into a jazzy downtempo shuffle, with sizzling exploratory synth leads over vibin’ bass and funked out e-piano. Smooth scatty jazz vocals come in, elevating things to an impossible level of chilled out coolness, and we just float away in this breezy mediterranean sunset space.
(images scanned from my personal copy)
