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The sophomore record from Germany’s Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble did not receive much press stateside on its release, but its ominously toned, slow-burning post-jazz indelibly burrowed itself into the psyche of the few brave North Americans willing to venture its uncertain shores. The title of Here Be Dragons literally means dangerous or unexplored territories, in reference to the placing of mythological creatures in blank areas of medieval maps. Certainly, the record captures that sense of taking bold chances in the name of progress and discovery, albeit in the realm of music. From its roots as the duo of electronic manipulator Jason “Bong-Ra” Köhnen and drummer Gideon Kiers, TKDE has since expanded to a seven-piece collective. Naturally, their recordings have come to reflect this, as the comparatively obvious sound of their 2005 debut has developed into a supremely textured, vividly cinematic tour de force. Here Be Dragons is an intelligent and nuanced record, full of swells and sighs, utterly epic yet incalculably subtle, existing somewhere between keen, intuitive live improvisation and the best-laid plans of mad scientists. Experimental music is rarely this consistently captivating.
