Belfast jazz-punk band Robocobra Quartet have returned with their first two tracks of music in three years.
Bandleader Chris W Ryan has since made a name for himself with production credits on Irish records from NewDad and Junk Drawer along with his Sorbet project.
Robocobra are set to release their third album on London-based label First Taste Records later this year, and released two tracks today to mark the announce.
‘Heaven’ and ‘Night’ are ideal examples of the band’s improvised experimental jazz post-punk-rock, made without regular rock guitars.
‘Heaven’ might be the band’s most singular and shining example of what they do, with Ryan’s stream of conscious-style vocals set to his own fine drumming and the band’s brass and flute melodies. It’s a song that has a true driving force that builds with rhythmic intensity.
“Heaven is about the cult-like mania of capitalism. I grew up listening to Dead Kennedys and always liked how they would write songs from the perspective of a character they didn’t necessarily agree with. There’s something fascinating about the stories that emerge and I wanted to get inside that extremely chaotic and self-absorbed headspace. I loved the idea of singing as someone so narcissistic they find their newborn child beautiful just because they look alike.”
Heaven
Alternatively, the other track ‘Night’ is a more meandering song, which started from a jam around a sampled chord of one of their older songs. It’s reminiscent of Mount Kimbie in arrangement.
Robocobra Quartet play a free London headline show at The Shacklewell Arms for 4th March. They also play Brilliant Corners Jazz Festival in Belfast with Ishmael Ensemble on 12th March.
Robocobra Quartet are:
Chris W Ryan (Drums, Voice)
Nathan Rodgers (Bass, Effects)
Ryan Burrowes (Sampler, Keys, Bass)
Peter Howard (Tenor Sax, Alto Sax)
Tom Tabori (Soprano Sax, Sampler, Keys)
Thibault Barillon (Tenor Sax)
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Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
