There’s a great deal of experimentation in ‘Insomnia’. Despite the album’s major jazz influences, the compositional path often takes delightful detours, incorporating fusion formulas, free-form improvisations and abstract textures. It all makes for a uniquely whimsical and dreamy result, solidifying a body of work that will appeal to both like-minded musicians and casual listeners.
Treating ‘Insomnia’ as a blank canvas, Israeli-born, LA-based saxophonist and composer Shahar Amdor delivers a sonic journey that’s darling, bold and fierce, incorporating diverse influences such as Bon Iver, Shai Maestro, and Avishai Cohen in the process. The album is not just for jazz aficionados: melodies are evocative and expressive, and moments of technical prowess are well-balanced with moments of linear quietness and compositional predictability.
Featuring a wide group of collaborators met by Amdor during his travels, ‘Insomnia’ is a committed, personal work. As Shahar explains: “This wasn’t a traditional studio project. Many of the recordings were captured in living rooms, home studios, and late-night voice memos. Shahar used analogue synths, found sound samples, and live improvisations to shape the textures, keeping the process raw and emotionally present.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Insomnia’ on Spotify:
