By Martin Schray

On the one hand, Fireplace! (as all the time Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and
Andreas Werliin) are completely predictable. That’s not meant in a damaging
means in any respect, it’s a bit like consuming a spectacular wine you know, however you
haven’t had it for 3 years – and now you’re wanting ahead to tasting
it once more. Anticipation is the best pleasure, everyone knows that. Additionally, as a result of
then again, Fireplace! albums are by no means the identical.

On Testomony, their eighth album, the trio concentrates on the necessities
for the primary time: saxophone, bass, drums. No flutes (which Gustafsson has
lately found for himself in his different initiatives), no electronics
(really an integral a part of Fireplace!), no visitors and no different bric-a-brac.
The album was recorded reside within the studio on analog tape at Steve Albini’s
studio (of Nirvana/Shellac/Stooges and so on. fame) with the grasp himself at
the controls. It’s a bit as if what belongs collectively has come collectively
right here.

Fireplace! have all the time been about discovering the essence by attending to the core of
the music. On Testomony, it turns into clearer than ever earlier than how strongly
the trio actually refers again to the roots of historic jazz and blues
buildings. Discipline hollers, call-and-response, an interaction – on this case
of three devices – which have a form of dialog with one another and
thus create a sure density and stress. That is significantly evident in
the opener “Work Songs For A Scattered Previous“ (but additionally within the following
three items). Johan Berthling’s bass is the idea, Werliin’s drums assist
him extra stoically than ordinary, and Gustafsson lets his darkish strains buzz over
this base. Depth, tempo and sound are then different, Gustafsson pivots on
Berthling’s bass motif to offer Werliin room for excursions. In its
simplicity, that is merely nice artwork and virtually tears your coronary heart out.

This method is additional refined within the second piece, much more minimalist,
three notes on the bass, the drums virtually like a metronome. Gustafsson
performs lengthy, lonely strains, interspersed with an interlude of brief outbursts
that appear as if a visitor musician has snuck in. A spotlight of the album is
“Operating Bison. Respiration Entity. Sleeping Actuality“. The bass is as mild
as a feather, the drums virtually freed from tom, bass drum or snare, even the
saxophone floats freed from struggling or longing. It’s the continuation of
Fireplace!’s masterpiece

She Sleeps She Sleeps, particularly when the compulsory outburst comes in the midst of the observe
and the bass then returns with much more verve. You would possibly even wish to soar
out of your couch and dance – simply to understand that the final observe, “One
Testomony. One Goal. One Extra To Go. Once more“, is completely different. All three
devices spin freely, there isn’t any longer a gravitational heart, it
appears as if one is drifting utterly free via the orbit. The piece is
a throwback to the band’s different mainstay, specifically krautrock/progrock – and
right here Can particularly (coincidentally, the assessment was written the day
after Damo Suzuki’s loss of life). Like Can, Fireplace!’s music additionally oscillates between
demonstrative boredom and ecstatic outbursts, you assume you already know what’s
going to occur – simply to search out out that your expectations gained’t be
fulfilled.

It’s solely February, however are we speaking about an album of the yr? Hell
yeah. 100%.

Testomony is accessible as an LP (in a restricted version on clear vinyl), as a CD and as a obtain.