…And now for something completely different! Merging the sounds of jazz and cabaret with a small sprinkling of punk for good measure, Norwegian six-piece Kabaret Makaber’s self-titled album is something that definitely stands out from the crowd. (And as a lover of jazz, this is right up my street as well!)
Kabaret Makaber is by far one of the most unique and ‘out there’ releases I’ve heard all year, and it’s a bold listen that will really make you want to sit up and pay attention. Opening track Djevelen starts with powerful drums that add momentum to the piece in order to get it off to a running start before adding an ace sax line a little later on, and second track Bankranaren is a funky little earworm that will get stuck in your head thanks to the reoccuring melodies and the slightly avant-garde vocals that pair up nicely with the wall of saxophones underneath.
Meanwhile, later tracks such as Dei raude skoi also bring the energy whilst Gravferd i Kaupanger slows things down a little, and indeed, final track Vals med meg, baby is another slower inclusion. However this approach works well and helps to slowly wind the album down rather than just bringing it to an abrupt halt, and that works better.
As a whole, Kabaret Makaber is an exciting and unique release that the band should be very proud of. If you want something a little different, then you can’t go wrong with this.
9/10
