Empirical - Like Lambs: To The Slaughter [2LP Vinyl]

Empirical delivers their eighth album, Like Lambs: To The Slaughter, a potent warning for contemporary times, released on Whirlwind Recordings. Following a lineup shift with the departure of vibraphonist Lewis Wright, the award-winning UK jazz ensemble embraces a more flexible trio format featuring Nathaniel Facey (alto saxophone), Tom Farmer (double bass), and Shaney Forbes (drums), augmented by high-caliber guests like long-time collaborators Ivo Neame (piano) and David Preston (guitar).

This release is a radical reworking of drummer Shaney Forbes' unconventional long-form suite, originally issued as a self-released EP. The album unfolds as a single, uninterrupted 51-minute musical narrative, drawing listeners through a maelstrom of changing emotional states culminating in the unsettling fever-pitch peak of the title segment. Empirical crafts a formally cohesive articulation of their unique sonic world, showcasing exceptional virtuosity, musical empathy, and daring emotional expressiveness. The music traverses the terrain between contemporary classical music, soundscape, post-bop, and free jazz, echoing the spirit of 1960s jazz that championed the struggle for respect and civil rights.

• Eighth album from the award-winning UK jazz ensemble, Empirical.
• Features a flexible lineup including Nathaniel Facey, Tom Farmer, and Shaney Forbes, joined by guests Ivo Neame and David Preston.
• A single, cohesive 51-minute musical story based on a long-form suite by drummer Shaney Forbes.
• Explores musical territory spanning contemporary classical, soundscape, post-bop, and free jazz.
• Presented on vinyl format, manufactured in Germany.

This release contains 2 LPs from Empirical.

Like Lambs: To The Slaughter stands out as a powerful and formally unified statement, reflecting the collective's belief in finding solutions through collaboration amidst societal division.