Koom.H is a Sicilian project manned by DJ’s Salvo Borrelli and Massimo Napoli, resident DJ at Mercati Generali in Catania, with die-hard producer Salvo Dub. Working together, they unify their different musical origins giving life to an original sort of techno-jazz style.
Their debut album opens with “Rain”, an intense tune with deep atmospheres. A jazz trumpet mute converse with a classic piano, although almost in contrast. The same melancholic feeling starting the album resurfaces in the last track, which is a rework by The Dining Room of the same song “Rain” where the beat is more marked by the drum.
The second tune is a cover of an Archie Shepp composition. The style is nearly lounge and could be associated to those collections of jazz classics remixed by contemporary producers.
The third track “Mr. Cool” just displays how detailed the production is on this album. It is a thumping funky bass that trespasses the tune from cool ambient into acid jazz. It is almost visible the scene of Mr. Cool attending a party in France’s Cote d’Azure at sunset.
“Ghost In Paradise” starts with a jazz drum kick but sound effects and piano chords make it quite cinematic. It could be a spy movie chase-up in the streets of Paris, on the contrary the title suggests rather different moods: the ethereal and spiritualistic ambience of a ghost going around in paradise.
“Come to Me” is the fifth track of the album reaching the peak of yearning as represented. Ambient meets jazz courtesy of the touch Marco Bianchi on piano but also from the emphasis in the singing style. The rhythmic texture is remarkably interesting as highlighted by percussions and bass.
The following track “Home” was written with Stefano Ghittoni (The Dining Rooms/Double Beat) and is a piece of bastard jazz mixing together Detroit techno, batucada flavours and epic drum solos.
Their first single “Move your funk” is track 7 in the album; a tune based on their Afro and soul background with influences from funk and breakbeat to spiritual voices.
“Estate” is a tune that spreads all the heath of the season to which is dedicated. The feeling is relaxed. It’s a track inviting imaginary moods where sound effects transcend, from the skilful touch of Paolo Fedreghini.
“Don Vito Corleone” is a piece paying homage to a hugely popular, Sicilian character of literature and cinema.
“Just for a while” is the second last track in the album, before The Dining Rooms’ re-work of “Rain”. Jazz colours melt into resonances that virtually recall Trip-Hop, a trumpet solo transcends remarkably but delicately.
In conclusion the debut album by Koom.h lies hanging between jazz and funk accelerations, with techno contaminations adding particularity to their sound…Well worth investigating it.
