Raph Dumas & The Primaveras

The inputs into this project are a little difficult to figure out. Raph Dumas is a Catalonian musical entrepreneur, primarily a DJ, but here is something of a bandleader. He's a Quantic kind of bandleader though, which means he's the digital architect of live grooves, and the degree of meddling is uncertain. What results is a mostly organic-sounding jazz dance combo with some swinging London flourishes: "Zodiac" practically implores you to do the Monkey. Yet, Dumas's apparently customary Theremin adds a needed dose of weirdness, as does his penchant for occasionally pronounced dub effects or aggressive sample and hold techniques. The asymmetrical moments are among the best here. The long and winding head to "Max The Drummer" is as good as anything Vijay Iyer is doing (although by using electronics, Dumas's music cannot be directly compared). These are solidly composed tunes, with above average playing and a bright, poppy sensibility. Only a few ill-considered vocal samples mar this effort. This is worth checking out.