Album lore

Circle of Madness finds German percussionist Janek van Laak navigating the interstices of jazz and electronic music, released by Sonar Kollektiv in March 2024. Across twelve tracks, van Laak’s deft hand on rhythm and texture is evident, with compositions like “Saints Blow” layering intricate percussion patterns over electronic pulses. The album’s palette ranges from the jittery energy of “Sloppy Dreams” to the more contemplative tones of “Above Your Head,” reflecting a meticulous balance between improvisation and studio craft.Recorded amidst the evolving jazz-electronic milieu of early 2020s Germany, the record offers an artifact that engages with contemporary forms without succumbing to facile genre fusion. Sonar Kollektiv’s catalog has long housed such explorations, and Circle of Madness extends this lineage, emphasizing rhythm as a driving force. With modest but steady attention—1,436 listeners and 3,850 scrobbles on Last.fm—the album situates itself as a signal within Germany’s ongoing electronic jazz discourse.

Album lore

Circle of Madness finds German percussionist Janek van Laak navigating the interstices of jazz and electronic music, released by Sonar Kollektiv in March 2024. Across twelve tracks, van Laak’s deft hand on rhythm and texture is evident, with compositions like “Saints Blow” layering intricate percussion patterns over electronic pulses. The album’s palette ranges from the jittery energy of “Sloppy Dreams” to the more contemplative tones of “Above Your Head,” reflecting a meticulous balance between improvisation and studio craft.Recorded amidst the evolving jazz-electronic milieu of early 2020s Germany, the record offers an artifact that engages with contemporary forms without succumbing to facile genre fusion. Sonar Kollektiv’s catalog has long housed such explorations, and Circle of Madness extends this lineage, emphasizing rhythm as a driving force. With modest but steady attention—1,436 listeners and 3,850 scrobbles on Last.fm—the album situates itself as a signal within Germany’s ongoing electronic jazz discourse.