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Portico Quartet

knee deep in the north sea

Babel Vortex BVOR 2769

The buzz surrounding the Portico Quartet is somewhat reminiscent of the stir created by Polar Bear on their arrival on the UK scene some years back, and there are some musical similarities between the bands, too: each has a slightly hypnotic, insinuating approach to themes; their varied textures and easy, slow-building insistence are also similarly beguiling.

Portico Quartet's distinctive feature, however, is Nick Mulvey's hang, a sort of steel pan with a plangent but percussive sound, which sometimes makes the entire band resemble a miniature gamelan. Set against the strident skirl of Jack Wylie's soprano (used on most of the tracks) and the steady grounding pulse provided by bassist Milo Fitzpatrick and drummer/hang player Duncan Bellamy, whether the band is operating at relatively gentle, softly scurrying or swiftly pattering tempi, the hang sound is what lingers in the mind, and is undoubtedly one of the main reasons for the band's growing reputation as one of the surest draws on the contemporary jazz-and-related-musics circuit. Recommended.