Inhabitants

Vancouver, BC's Inhabitants reside in that fuzzy sonic no man's land between rock and jazz music. The quartet may be pigeonholed as a post-rock group or a jazz combo by the rock kids, but the jazz fanatics will most certainly label them a rock band or fusion ensemble. Trumpeter JP Carter, guitarist Dave Sikula, bassist Pete Schmitt and drummer Skye Brooks almost certainly couldn't care less; their music stands on its own, and that's all that really matters. A Vacant Lot, the group's third album for the Drip Audio imprint, delivers an expressive, genre-smashing collection of tunes. Inhabitants craft a wicked brew, blending cathartic noise, solid rhythmic patterns and deft melodic passages. That this troupe share members with another unique Vancouver outfit (Fond of Tigers) is no surprise: there's a similarity in modus operandi as well. By ignoring genre and relying strictly on the music, Inhabitants manage to stand out while almost fitting in.