Milan is considered one of the most important fashion capitals in the world. However, there is also a lot going on underground - for example the Subconscious Trio. Three women, three countries, one thing in common: jazz. And a little bit different.

The ‘a little different’ quickly becomes apparent when you look at the musicians: Pianist Monique Chao comes from Taiwan, double bassist Victoria Kirilova from Bulgaria and drummer Francesca Remigi from Italy. In addition to three countries, three temperaments also come together to form a unity. Which works very well.

The title of the debut album says it all: Water Shapes, the shapes of water, its calm and dynamism, its warmth, suppleness and, in traces, crystalline coldness are reflected in the eight tracks, each with a different weight. On the one hand, this creates scope for the music and its dynamics and, on the other, offers the opportunity to emphasise the individual musicians here and there. This in turn corresponds with the aim of the album to illustrate the facets and changes in a person's personality through sound.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/To achieve this diversity, the trio arranges typical jazz patterns with influences from traditional Bulgarian, Italian, Taiwanese and Carnatic music - the latter is native to southern India. This makes the sounds and rhythms interesting without immediately conjuring up a fusion album. Instead, there are pleasing jazz tracks which, despite their family affiliation, allow themselves an astonishingly broad spectrum of their own facets and thus unobtrusively enrich the genre.

The Subconscious Trio's recording is pleasingly tangible and intimate in its mix. Recommended tracks are the title track Water Shapes for its diverse sound ideas, Moving Castles for its flow (even if the Chinese cymbal groans a little too much in the flow of the music) or the melodic Two Beggars, on which Monique Chao also sings.

Anyone who likes jazz and wants to add a new facet to their collection will find Water Shapes a fine addition. And anyone who wants to get to know jazz will find it a convincing door opener. (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Monique Chao, piano, vocals
Victoria Kirilova, upright bass
Francesca Remigi, drums