“Repetition is the mother of learning.” Or perhaps of drifting into a dream. Into a kind of introspection that leaves you feeling more at peace with yourself and the world. As if a heavy weight had been lifted from your heart, only to be replaced, gently, by a butterfly.
But this only happens when the repetition bears the signature of Mammal Hands.
This English trio is driven by a subtle and ingenious pursuit of fascination, weaving addictive textures and harmonies into a soundscape of their own.
The hypnotic way they build their pieces always brings to mind the whirling dervishes and their endless dance. One that seems to have no beginning, no limits, and no end. A dance that dares to defy gravity itself.
Mammal Hands’ jazz, minimal, atmospheric, ambient, and ethereal, turns any audience into “grateful hostages.”
Jordan Smart, Nick Smart, and Rob Turner have delved into symphonic music, electronica, folk, world music, and countless other influences to find their perfect formula: delicate, cinematic, and intense; meditative yet at times explosive.
Their sophistication is so discreet it feels entirely natural. The long, melancholic phrases give you space to drift into a blend of serenity and restlessness that the trio masterfully commands.
Don’t hesitate to dive into this experience. What happens on stage always spills far beyond its edges. Musical genres merge so elegantly, so organically, that you barely notice the seams.
But what you will notice, at every concert, are people lost in their own private worlds, eyes closed, faces lit up with wide, peaceful smiles. You don’t have to take my word for it. Just be there, in the Ethnographic Park, the weekend of June 6-8. Share a meadow, share a couple of hours with Jordan, Nick, and Rob.
By the end of the show, you’ll have traveled farther than you imagined.
And you’ll leave with three new friends.
A thought,
Diana Popescu.
