Konstrukt – Molto Bene – CD Review

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Konstrukt are a free blowing, multi instrumental quartet hailing out of Istanbul. They have released a CD ‘ Molto Bene’. Just four tracks make up the CD but each is a learning curve, for the band and also the listener.

‘Mercan’ strikes up an atmosphere at the top of the CD with interesting birdsong-like whistles and percussion before, after what seems a long time, the gralla enters with an Eastern-themed over play, sounding like a snake charmer on speed. With percussion finding ever more inventive motifs, the textures fall into place, like layers of a well-baked strudel and towards the end of the track there is reached a sense of harmonics and cohesion, which could have been better placed much earlier. The bass is working hard, the percussion positively deranged and suddenly we have a track worthy of a listen.

‘Alarm’ begins with free blowing, hard driving sax under which the bass and percussion struggle to keep up. This track is wonderfully structured with driving, stretched out sax and manic, free playing underneath, all contriving to create a deeply textured track with lots of interest. There is one point with stacatto sax on stut notes and then satisfying long notes taking the track into soaring diversity whilst the bass and percussion rip away at the foundations in ever increasing manic counter-diversions at once playing against each other and yet combining to create a fluidity which is totally engaging. Glorious.

YT Video: Konstrukt Official

ToiToi begins with what could be mistaken for an R and B groove but no, this can’t be- and thankfully not so. Softly but surely the sound deepens, the beat changes and all kinds of sounds are interspersed to create colour and depth. Yet, it still has something of the pop song about it. However, before you give in to the temptation to press the ‘next’ button’ something else happens. The drums dictate a stealthy beat which grows and the bass takes up the rhythm before the sax finally fills the gaps after several minutes and we have cohesion and from then on the track develops into a free form  delight, everyone taking turns, discussing with the music and doing their own thing whilst remaining unequivocally part of the whole – wonderful music.   For me, the first 5 minutes of this 14 minutes plus track could go but that’s just me and my failure to engage with electronically enhanced music yet what remains is delicious and to be devoured.  The final track is ‘ Anjio’  which is short, but very sweet with sax entering at the same time as the first drum beat  and then leading the musicians on a free for all foray into depths previously unexplored. And here is the potential you feel with this group of musicians. For three minutes plus they undoubtedly listen, communicate and  convey the music to the listener.  Best track of the album by far and my only criticism is it is too short. Konstruct are a work in progress for sure but one which over time can only lead to fully formed monumental free sounds. The recording was made with a 24 channel studer tape machine which is fairly unique these days and the sound quality is immense.

Released on/Purchase: Holiday Records, Milan

Korhan Futacı: alto & tenor saxophones, gralla, flutes, voice, instant loops

Umut Çağlar: electric guitar, micromoog, electric piano, zurna, gralla,  flutes, tape echo, rhythmbox

Barlas  Tan Özemek: electric bass, bass synth

Berke Can Ozcan: drums, electric drum  module, percussion

Recorded & mixed: OutsideInside Studio, Montebelluna, Italy (August 4th & 5th,2015) by Matt Bordin.

Mastered:   Carl Saff – Saff Mastering Studio in   Chicago, USA.

Artworkby: Canedicoda.

Last modified: July 15, 2018