Aside from a few stellar tracks I pretty much missed Feuermusik’s 2007 critically acclaimed debut, Goodbye Lucille. It is for that reason that I wanted to get in early when it came to No Contest, their brand new sophomore release.

Even the most cursory listen to the Toronto experimental jazz outfit reveals something that is obviously not what I would usually have reverberating through the ol’ cans—yet at the same time I can’t help but want to hear more. There’s just such an expert balance between the jagged and the smooth—the comfortable and the jarring.

Those of you who flee from stereotypical jazz pretentions fear not, for Feuermusik imbue their jazzy leanings with a down to earth indie sensibility. If you ask me, that’s no small feat for a woodwind and percussion duo to pull off, which makes it all the more impressive.

Basically, on No Contest Feuermusik are in the enviable position of being able to push the boundaries of conventional music while still remaining grounded in accessible and uplifting composition.

Don’t be scared…

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Feuermusik - Full of Grace

Hear more at Feuermusik’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of No Contest from Zunior.