Drifters EYOT

• 1 She Is Dreaming of a Better Day 07:34
• 2 The Crest of the Wave 05:07
• 3 At Source 07:29
• 4 Coils 04:25
• 5 We'll Get There 04:00
• 6 Drifters 07:24
• 7 Firebird 06:51
• 8 The View Through the Blurry Window 13:05
• Total Runtime 55:55

Info for Drifters

Now for some of you this seems a tad early for a new release review when in reality we are talking just slightly over a month on some cutting edge music which seems to be the consistent sonic road less traveled for Neuklang. Eyot is based out of Serbia and this particular release is about as close as you can get to a sonic virtual diary of their travels from east to west. Drifters is far more than an apt title to describe the nomadic existence played out on the road but is instead a musical time capsule put together by an exciting collective that celebrates the intimacy and personal time growing both personally and artistically during this 4tets highly energetic growth spurt.

While the band posses a highly charged energy the whole yen/yang thing is seemingly shot down (at least by some) as being a bit on the melancholy side of the coin. Despite the failed attempt at pigeon holing this ensemble, Eyot manages to find that elusive pot at the end of the rainbow. These people are musical realists much in the sane way a critic can not refer to every release that crosses their desk as amazing. Eyot is however on to an amazing fresh sound and approach to a more contemporary sound that could be the next big thing here in the States. The conceptual representation here is of musicians with a hunger for a new sound, the lost chord as it were. The end result is a magical blend of jazz culture with classical piano, the edgy sound of Eastern European folk music and the ambient texture of a walk on the smooth side of electronic fusion. Bottom line is that it works or perhaps it is the symbiotic chemistry of the band members that allow this hybrid in its infancy to slowly begin to take hold across the globe.

"She Is Dreaming Of A Better Day" opens with a rather ominous if not mysterious piano and drum duo that would make one feel more at home watching a murder mystery until the tune unfolds with methodical like precision including the bass work of Marko Stojiljkovic complimented by drummer Milos Vojvodic. "The Crest Of The Wave" is an enthusiastic piece, contemporary in scope without bordering on the corporate boardroom approach band or artists such as Bony Jams or Trombone Shorty might take a stab at. The title track "Drifters" keeps the simple melodies close to the vest while letting loose with to her the subtle nuances that seem to reveal something new with each subsequent spin. Weaving in and out of certain tunes is an almost early Radiohead feel and thus the organic pulse created with the opening track is allowed to come full circle.

Inventive, inspirational and at times somewhat in your face Eyot crashes the musical glass ceiling with ease and despite the myriad of influences from which the band pulls, Eyot is a name to remember for future reference.. 4 out of 5 stars. As close to perfect as one can pull off without finding those pesky sonic tripwires. A perfect mix of the old and the new forming a new sonic alliance for a new generation. (Brent Black, Criticaljazz.com)

Dejan Ilijic, piano
Sladjan Milenovic, guitar
Milos Vojvodic, drums
Marko Stojiljkovic, bass

EYOT is the band founded in Nis, Serbia about 3 years ago. Their music represents the musicians hungering for a fresh sound, blending the culture of jazz, the sophistication of classical piano, the gritty elements of East European folk music, and just a hint of smooth electronic fusion. In 2009 they were one of the three winners of Umbria Jazz Balkanic Windows Competition; many domestic and international festivals followed later (Nišvill Jazz Fest, World of Jazz in Dubai, DOKfest in Munich, Alarma Punk Jazz in Sofia, Veisa Jazz / Saransk...), along with club gigs on regular basis.

In 2010/2011 they had their album "Horizon" launched in USA, Croatia and Serbia EYOT is a winner of the MIDEM OFF 2012 Competition " EYOT has made an emphatic and impressive recording debut." Bruce Lindsay / www.allaboutjazz.com "... А я скажу что Eyot своей достаточно оригинальной и запоминающейся музыкой вполне достойны собственной странички в мировой музыкальной истории..." www.xorosho.com "Una de las más innovadoras bandas relativamente nuevas en el mundo del jazz, EYOT, provenientes de Serbia" www.necrofagiaynecrofilia.blogspot.com " GREAT variations of sound. DO NOT SKIP THIS ONE. It's so much more than just jazz." www.thesirenssound.com " Ci troviamo davanti ad una delle più importanti giovani Jazz band d'Europa. Parlando di loro i BIG del JAZZ non hanno badato a spendere i loro migliori complimenti per EYOT. Dopo averli sentiti si capisce il Perché! " www.webmetropolis.org "Jedan od najboljih domaćih (ne samo džez) albuma iz ovogodišnje produkcije." www.jazzin.rs "Eyot verwebt einen Mix aus Jazzkultur , mit düsteren Elemente der osteuropäischen Folklore und untermalt diese mit einem Hauch glatter elektronischer Fusion und der Raffinesse des klassischen Klaviers . Ergebnis ist das Eyot Jazz in einer neuen Dimension. " Frank Schöne / Musik-Abteilung @ www.dokfest-muenchen.de/ "EYOT is surely one of the most quality and promising young bands out there right now." -

Booklet for Drifters