Spartak is project from Australia by jazz drummer/percussionist Evan Dorrian and multiinstrumentalist/electronic musician Shoeb Ahmad who's also director of small label HellosQuare Recordings on which the reviewed album No Signal was released. This record may attract attention most likely of the fans of jazz and free interesting improvisation. Perhaps basic instruments here are drums and percussiona – sounds of metallic drums scatter all around like an abstract carpet. It seems that they knock against each other and fly away like chaotic flash and collide again.First of the four parts "In a Field Of Light" is totally under the power of drums. Only electronic drone, like thick glue, couple together the live placer of percussion and cymbals. This track can be considered to be the prelude, opening of the door and entrance into No Signal, and the following track "Sleet/Skid" is the central and the most significant part of the album, by the way, it's the longest one (more than 12 minutes). Except drums and percussion here one can hear field records, electronics, guitar and flute, even the voice of Shoeb Ahmad. Starting as slow ambient, this track develops with splendid cymbal waves. Than enter drums, guitar and others. One can feel the true jazz freedom, no limits – it's as if music starts to generate itself and control musicians' behavior developing its own composition and giving it more space and emotionality. While sounding "Sleet/Skid" gets really epic development and if you listen it live in an audience, I think everybody will be 'shocked' by such pressure.
"The Distance From Here To Time" and "Closure" is more dreary though not less interesting part of the album. In the second of these two parts musicians totally refuse to use drums and finish No Signal with very dark tangle of drone ambient, filled a little bit with rhythmical electronics sand. In some cases this record can be like a gulp of fresh air thanks to its freedom and creative energy hidden under the cover.
- HellosQuare Recordings