SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DUN-DUN BAND – PITA PARKA PT. 1: XAM EGDUB

DUN-DUN BAND
PITA PARKA PT. 1: XAM EGDUB
IDÉE FIXE RECORDS

On their first vinyl debut, Dun-Dun Band, the Toronto-based jazz and experimental rock band made up of Toronto’s finest, led by Craig Dunsmuir, a figure who has shaped Toronto’s underground scene for over two decades as a musician, DJ, and sound performer, released a three-track EP, Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub, on the Idée Fixe-offshoot Ansible Editions.

The EP begins with “No.1,” a track with jazz solo bass lines and an underground electronic feedback sound. This track is an excellent start to a jazz EP experimenting with electronic instruments and African rhythms. “No. 1” is enriched with many rhythmic shifts, often with an ostinato rhythm, amidst Ted Crosby’s tenor saxophone improvisations. This is a long song, lasting 11 mins and 26 sec. However, it is an excellent introduction because it smoothly delivers a jazzy color and African beat, offering a clear picture of the Dun-Dun Band and the EP’s musical worldview.

The second track, “No. 20 (Once Raw: The Aging G),” follows the same concept of jazz ostinato rhythms created by the drumline, bass guitar, electric guitar, and wind instruments. If anything, Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub excels at maintaining stylistic ideas, rhythm, speed, and vitality. Dun-Dun Band shows musical intent when recording the EP.

Although Pita Parka Pt. 1: Xam Egdub is their vinyl debut, following their debut tape, Riff Ref, Dun-Dun Band outdid themselves with a brief yet fascinating jazz EP. With an unwavering continuity in being loyal to their sound trademark, fans may expect additional works, possibly an album next time.

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