The sales pitch reads: The Soft Machine meets Flying Lotus. And as far as billboards go, that’s one of those things that makes you willing to drive off the highway and purchase copious souvenir trinkets and dream catchers. But The Breathing Effect aren’t aiming towards ephemera. This is meditative and well-marinated, soulful jazz fusion in the vein of Thundercat and Austin Peralta. The label is Alpha Pup, which shouldn’t come as any surprise. Between the wider Low End Theory constellation and Madlib’s Yesterday’s New Quintet jazz experimentation, LA is the natural capital of these gorgeous prog-jazz jams that channel Frank Zappa and George Duke’s early collaborations — should you close your eyes and listen.
Not much is known about the principals. The facts are that it’s the project of two lifelong friends and musical partners “who wanted to create something fresh.” Eli Goss is a producer/keyboardist (alias Lebeatski]) and Harry Terrell is the drummer. Both are LA natives currently studying music at college. Goss goes to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Terrell attends the Jazz Performance program at NYU. If their parents hear this record, it will probably induce worry. This is that “Why the Fuck Am I Still in School” type flow. Not much left to learn from a textbook, conservatory, or scholar. The EP drops later this month. The cover is above and offers abundant snow. The music is warmer golden-chord, sipping on ambrosia and eating acid music. And it fulfills the hashtag dictum to #Listentomorejazz, which translates when you hear this to: listen to more Breathing Effect.
