LIUN + The Science Fiction Band unveil their latest offering in 'Does it Make You Love Your Life?', continuing the collectives' adventures in synth-pop meets nu-jazz.
The experimental project serves as the brainchild of Zurich-born vocalist Lucia Cadotsch and German saxophonist, keyboardist and producer Wanja Slavin who, backed by an epic ensemble of musicians, unveil a genuinely inspired perception of contemporary music that thrives upon jazz sensibilities alongside a new-wave pop aesthetic.
For fans of singer and songwriter Cadotsch, listeners would surely have come to expect almost anything from her boundless versatility and ability to reinvent expectations through a variety of projects. With 'Speak Low', released back in 2016 and backed by just Petter Eldh's bass and Otis Sandsjö's saxophone, the trio tackled some of jazz's richest catalogue with revered standards ingeniously recreated as a love letter to the genre's icons like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. In truth, both have had their catalogues revisited countless times and in countless ways but the ambition put forward for 'Speak Low' - and its follow-up 'Speak Low II' in 2020 - is genuinely unparalleled.
While the end-results for those albums were hauntingly brilliant and musically dynamic with Cadotsch's vocal immersed in an exquisite mystique, LIUN + The Science Fiction Band opts to defy expectations creating an album of equal fascination through entirely different means.
Partnering alongside the highly-decorated Wanja Slavin, the German multi-instrumentalist has strived for a career just as dynamic. With hefty contributions to varied projects including Wanja Slavin Trio, dragon-fly and Lotus Eaters, Slavin's affections for jazz have seen him perform and record alongside Cécile McLorin Salvant, Kenny Wheeler and Eric Harland as well as grace stages around the world.
Further comprised of an ever-evolving line-up of distinguished musicians, LIUN + The Science Fiction Band are represented by twenty musicians for this go-round including a thirteen-person string ensemble that adds scintillating textures throughout the album's eight tracks. The music throughout the album straddles this intriguing line between infectious high-energy production to a style that seems pulled towards the mildly sombre tones of 'Speak Low'. An elegant nuance captured perfectly through 'Katze' which serves as the album's ambitious centre-piece. The track navigates a compelling journey over the its near-seven minutes, from a dream-like, sublime opening portion to its dance-infused climax - it really is magnificent.
With a litany of projects to their name, Lucia Cadotsch and Wanja Slavin have undoubtedly struck gold with LIUN + The Science Fiction Band. A wonderfully ambitious project that begs repeated listens as subtle intricacies are revealed each time.
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