Loom & Thread – Dispersion (Album of the Month 05/26)

It has been a good four years since the Leipzig-based trio Loom & Thread made their debut with the album *Island Grammar*. An album that transformed the polyrhythmic, expressive post-bop spirit of the 1960s into the formal language of contemporary music through electronic manipulation and looping techniques.

With their second album, *Dispersion*, the group led by pianist Tom Schneider builds on this foundation—while simultaneously resetting the sonic clock to zero. Although the core lineup featuring Tobi Fröhlich on double bass and Daniel Klein on drums remains intact, the ensemble has been expanded this time to include four additional musicians. Among them is Volker Heuken, who is also based in Leipzig, whose vibraphone playing lends additional depth to quieter pieces such as “Spheres” or “Not At All.”

The result is yet another, at times captivating dialogue, whose tension draws in no small part from the musical contrasts that clash throughout the 15 tracks. Not least, the album underscores that respect for musical traditions does not imply that they are sacrosanct—quite the contrary.