Move 78 – ‘Game Four’ album review: The Berlin ensemble deliver a masterclass in jazz narratives
THE SKINNY: The vast and ever-expanding landscape of jazz music has consistently provided artists with a space to explore whatever themes or stories their hearts desire. As such, jazz has always been a haven for ambitious concept albums, suites, and captivatingly inventive albums which explore a certain story. In that sense, Berlin-based collective Move 78 are continuing a long-standing jazz tradition with their latest album Game Four, but, in another sense, the outfit is driving the music forward into bold, unexplored avenues of artistic expression.
On the face of it, Game Four sees the German jazz collective demonstrate their diverse and expansive sound through complex, flowing soundscapes punctuated by moments of sonic chaos and spontaneity. The tracks included on the album can change up their core sound or atmosphere on a knife-edge, moving quickly from laid-back contemporary jazz to brooding moments of dystopian darkness and suspense, without ever feeling too contrived or sacrificing the album’s listening experience. Even the release’s singles, such as ‘Mistakes On Purpose’, flow seamlessly into the tracklisting, as though Game Four was envisioned as one overarching narrative rather than simply a collection of songs.
That overarching narrative is, as the album’s inner sleeve details, centred around Lee Sedol and an ancient Chinese strategy board game called Go. Back in 2016, Sedol played a series of games of Go versus a computer program called AlphaGo. It was during the fourth game that Sedol overcame the program, with move 78 proving to be a turning point, which saw him win the game. A strange and very niche topic for a jazz album, but one which absolutely resonates with widespread audiences.
After all, Sedol versus AlphaGo was not just a significant moment within the world of Go, but it also represented a battle between man and machine, which, with the current discourse surrounding artificial intelligence specifically within the music industry, forms a rich tapestry of inspiration which Move 78 have expertly capitalised upon. Game Four is an absolute triumph of human artistic expression, with the various moments of tension and electronic influences eventually giving way to the kind of jazz euphoria which commands the utmost attention.
For fans of: Complex East Asian strategy games, blitzkrieg jazz, and the endearing parps of a French horn.
A concluding comment from AlphaGo: “Game four this, move 78 that; how about we remember all of the times that I, an all-powerful computer program, came out on top, huh?”
Game Four track by track:
Release Date: May 16th | Producer: Aver | Label: Self-released
‘Game Four’: A very brief introductory composition lasting all of 14 seconds, the sonic chaos and soundbites expertly set up the theming and atmosphere for the rest of the tracklisting, and flows effortlessly into the first proper song. [N/A]
‘Mistakes On Purpose’: Built around a muted bassline provided expertly by Hal Strewe, this early effort lays out the wildly expansive jazz sounds that audiences have come to expect from the Berlin collective, with curveball moments involving sounds of chatter and bird call, interspersed with synths, samplers, and the odd explosion of brass. [4.5/5]
‘Automagical’: Precluded by a 30-second introduction, ‘Automagical’ opens up the world of Move 78, introducing electronic influences and intriguing samples, before moving into a sprawling four-minute epic during which the infectious brilliance of Eric Owusu’s percussion really shines through. [4/5]
‘It Predates Language’: Flowing out of ‘Automagical’, Move 78 adopts a more tranquil, almost meditative energy. Complete with the distant sounds of water washing up on shore and various animal soundbites, the song rises in intensity as it develops, before reaching a climax and gently subsiding into the next track. [4/5]
‘Track 10’: Adopting an atmosphere almost evocative of old-school exotica, albeit with darker, more compelling influences present, this short effort feels almost like a transitional moment in the tracklisting, culminating in intriguing vocal samples about “tapping into something deeper”. [3.5/5]
‘Enigmatology’: Those dystopian influences hinted at on ‘Track 10’ continue into this haunting, suspenseful moment on the album, closing out side one of Game Four with a certain sense of unease and unpredictability which commands attention. [4/5]
‘Try Not To Disappear’: Placing a focus on distorted vocal samples and repeated moments of chaotic percussion, Move 78 opens up side two of the album with all the drive and energy that has been building throughout the tracklisting thus far. [3.5/5]
‘Mondrian Blocks’: Perhaps one of the more accessible moments on the album, ‘Mondrian Blocks’ adopts an endearingly upbeat contemporary jazz sound, but in typical Move 78 fashion, these sounds are interspersed with moments of extreme darkness and unease. [3.5/5]
‘Content Farming’: A driving jazz epic borrowing certain elements from the world of hip-hop in the beginning, this five-minute song soon descends into the depths of dark, suspenseful imagery that would feel right at home on the soundtrack to an obscure sci-fi B-movie from the 1950s. [3.5/5]
‘The End Of Nuance’: Closing out the record with this bold, ambitious effort, Move 78 adeptly build tension throughout the beginning of the song, culminating in a colossal peak which eventually subsides into an upbeat, congratulatory atmosphere, leaving Game Four on a highpoint.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.