aaamusic | On 02, Oct 2012

Dance, ambient, classical and electronica have helped inspire Portico Quartet, a modern post-jazz group that’s London based. The Hang, a 21st Century percussion instrument (where music is triggered from electronic pads) creates their innovative and distinctive sound. In style Portico Quartet have been compared with Radiohead, E.S.T. and The Cinematic Orchestra.
One of their early gigs was rained off in Italy and they took refuge by playing under a portico, which gave rise to their name. In their early days they regularly busked outside the National Theatre.
The quartet comprises: Jack Wyllie (soprano and tenor saxophone), Duncan Bellamy (drums), Milo Fitzpatrick (double bass) and Keir Vine (hang and percussion).
Their 4 track CD Steepless consists of remixes of 2 tracks from their third album Portico Quartet, released earlier in 2012: Steepless (Radio Edit), Steepless (Capac Mix), Lacker Boo (DVA’s Hi Emotions Remix) and Lacker Boo (Luca Lozano Black and White Mix). It’s published by Imagem Music.
These songs are rich, curious and very experimental. Swedish singer Cornelia Dahlgren charms with her fresh, dreamy and colourful voice and shows great spontaneity. Portico Quartet’s inventive and exciting music takes you on a unique, atmospheric journey of great beauty where there are strange, hypnotic rhythms. You’re encouraged to enter a futuristic world where you become hypnotised by its mystery and drama.

★★★★★
Author: Anthony Weightman