Troop invoked by guitarist Luís Lopes, the Abyss Mirrors Unit uses, in his own words, the inspirational foundations and seeks to give continuity to a music that starts with the Sun Ra ensembles, moves forward through the electric periods of Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman and continues with Wadada Leo Smith. A Herculean task but full of intention, built on an ensemble made up of a dozen figures coming from areas as disparate as they are intersectional: jazz, of course, but also free improvisation, electronics, contemporary or rock. All recognizable people in a conluence of more or less usual partners in Lopes’ wanderings: himself and Flak on electric guitar, Jari Marjamaki and Travassos on electronics, Felipe Zenícola on electric bass, Yedo Gibson and Bruno Parrinha on saxophones and a string section consisting of Helena Espvall on cello, Maria da Rocha on violin and Ernesto Rodrigues on viola. Luxury.

From the music recorded in sessions at Namouche, and reaching the public these days, a sound in constant mutation arises, between atmospheric passages, managed with the tense restraint of those who listen and understand their place in a big band, and moments of collective ecstasy with no point of arrival. Movements of elusive harmony that reel in on themselves along the lines of the lyrical haunting of Miles’ ‘He Loved Him Madly’ in line with a swirl of strings that brings that release of Alan Silva’s ensembles, electronic phrases as meta-rhythmic as they are scenic and more diversions and sure continuities in an abysmal game of mirrors. The name is well delivered. BS