There is nothing of the casual, only the Jasual, about the wild, exhilarating ride that is Temple by Jasual Cazz. With this track, Jasual Cazz clearly cement their claim to the Cyberpunk Jazz sub genre. This isn’t a genre about sci-fi novels from the 1980s. These impressive youngsters just want us to know that their music’s from 2077.
Platformer energy
It’s quite possible that this vibrant french trio are giving us a taste of Herbie Hancock for the Monster Energy generation. It’s hard to hear a melody from an overdriven synth bass right up front and not feel like Headhunters is at least somewhere in the background staring over us.
Brought to you by Parisian label Chuwanaga, the video game evocation is clear enough. There’s a heady rush of urgency that comes as standard when you use pushy odd time signatures in this way.
I may be of an age where I need more bit-crushing of the early 8-bit platformers to fully believe in the video game aesthetic, but these lads may have so much darned youth to them that their first foray into console gaming could have been on the pay ess trois.
The all-action A side is a genuine tour de force in great, yet organic sound from every instrument. Pierre-Louis Varnier on keyboards delivers some wonderful pads and voicings, as well as a fizzing and buzzing solo in the bridge. Japhet Boristhene and Theo Boero on drums and bass respectively also deserve credit for technically intricate performances, but performances that are under control.
The buzzing bass hook in the opening sections give you the idea that everything’s going to be hot and chaotic for the next three minutes. But as we move into the bridge and link up with Varnier’s solo, we’re given more space to breathe and get swept up. This track is fiery, but it’s dynamic too.
If I’m to give the A and B sections so much love, I do also have to give credit to the absolutely neck snapping lock-step rhythms at the start of the final section. Kicks sync with bass and snares release an airy opening pad to create a clean snap in and out. The embellishment develops to busy levels, but the theme carries through a treat.
I’ve obviously not been over to Lyon for a gig, but I guarantee there are floors full of 2020’s jazz-played-like-hip-hop fans absolutely folding at the hip with expressions of mock-disgust as this section hits them.
Theo Boero (left) and Japhet Boristhene (right) performing live in Lyon (via Jasual Cazz on Facebook)
The video game formula
Anybody who’s delved into more than two or three video games will know that they’re often stunningly creative, but also formulaic. For example, there’s always going a weapon, a map, a journal and, of course there has to be fetch quests.
The success of many video games relies on form. Beneath the unique characters and story are the forms that help us connect to them. The same goes for music, and this is perhaps where Temple is a tad exhausting at first. No single section in the track repeats.
In Temple by Jasual Cazz, the bass motif is carried between two or three different moments for the first half of the track. Plus the final section is like a first cousin to the opening one. Whilst you’re being tossed around by the second half of Temple, you’ll get a yearning for the punch of the opening hook to come back so you can call it home.
This may not be an issue for some, but it’s worth considering that you can have unfamiliar rhythm, harmony and melody to your heart’s content, but ignore form and you risk sounding exhausting. On the 3:24 recording, going A, B, C is not a big deal, but if this tune is going for 9 minutes at the live show, please for god’s sake repeat something.
Temple by Jasual Cazz: Overall
I don’t do ratings but Temple by Jasual Cazz is fiery and exciting, raw and untamed and there’s not much wrong with it. I’ll be paying close attention to what this trio put out next, and I strongly recommend that you do too.
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