Beyond Albedo
Part of Gateshead Jazz 2020
Beyond Albedo are an interstellar, retro-futuristic quartet, combining drum machine grooves, driving synth bass-lines, explosive drumming, pulsating guitar, and effects-laden saxophone. Inspired by the music from their two previous visits to Earth in the 1960s and 1980s, Beyond Albedo weave intricate dance music with improvisation, conjuring a sound that doesn’t quite belong on this planet…
“We know we are not alone in the universe.
We have twice visited Earth (in 1961 and 1989) and during our brief time, we learned everything we could about your music. We were puzzled by what we saw… In the 1960s, it seemed as though you were happy to make things up as you went along, and by the 1980s you had replaced most of your musicians with machines! Once more we have made the perilous journey from our home planet, and this time we hope you will let us stay…”
Since arriving on Earth in 2017, Beyond Albedo have performed at Lancaster Jazz Festival; collaborated with Chris Sharkey (of Roller Trio) on their single Arrival ; been selected to take part on Jazz North’s 2019 Northern Line artist support scheme, and participated in the Sage Gateshead’s Summer Studio 2019 programme. Individually, members of Beyond Albedo have been selected for the MJF Hothouse scheme, had their music broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and been shortlisted for a British Composer Award. They have been positively reviewed by Now Then: “Hazy evocations of the past give way to pulsing sci-fi electronica, synths now driving the piece with bold, saw-toothed vitality.”