Mammal Hands

Drawing on a rich well of influences from Sufi and shamanic African trance music, Irish and Eastern European folk music, to Steve Reich and Philip Glass and more contemporary electronica influences, their music is built around deceptively simple sounding ideas that are lent power through the use of repetition and rhythmic loops. They have been compared to both Portico Quartet and GoGo Penguin for the way in which they navigate the choppy waters between contemporary dance music and jazz. Mammal Hands are a trio of like-minded musicians: Nick Smart piano, Jesse Barrett drums and tabla, and Jordan Smart saxophones.

Floa is their second album for Gondwana Records and in the 18 months since their debut, Animalia, they have carved out a growing following both here and abroad for their hypnotic fusion of jazz, folk and electronica: winning fans from Bonobo to Gilles Peterson. Landmark live performances have included shows at King's Place in London and the RNCM in Manchester, as well as a barn-storming debut at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Floa (an old Norse word that means to deluge or to flow) is the sound of a more confident, experienced band: one that has grown together naturally through touring and gigging and through mammoth writing and rehearsal sessions where all three bring rhythmic, improvisational and melodic ideas to the table.

PERSONNEL:

• Jordan Smart - saxophone
• Nick Smart - piano
• Jesse Barrett - drums and tabla

TRACKS:

• SIDE A
• A1. Quiet Fire
• A2. Hillum
• A3. Hourglass
• A4. Think Anything

• SIDE B
• B1. In the Treetops
• B2. Eyes that Saw the Mountain
• B3. Kudu
• B4. The Falling Dream
• B5. Shift