Tied + Tickled Trio – “Tied + Tickled Trio ” – [Bingo]

Forging their own unique musical path, Germany’s Tied + Tickled Trio blur the boundaries of jazz and electronic music on this outstanding debut album. Spearheaded by Enja recording artist Johannes Enders on tenor saxophone and piano, the five-member trio (plus guests) create moody, layered, jazz soundscapes that owe as much to classic Blue Note as they do to dub and ambient techno. Sampled beats, echo-laden production, and tweeky electronics collide with classic jazz instrumentation on this all-too-short album. Every track is a winner, but “Mutant,” “Nordlied,” and “Constant” earn bonus points for extreme genre confusion. This is truly jazz for the 21st century…an amazing debut.