It would be hard to overstate just how good of a platform Gondwana Records has become for bringing us inspiring new instrumental music from all around the UK and Europe, including such marquee names as Matthew Halsall, Hania Rani, Mammal Hands, and Portico Quartet. With a name inspired by the far-off system that was the source of the mysterious signals at the heart of Carl Sagan’s sci-fi novel Contact, Vega Trails is a cinematic, chamber-jazz project with ties to the latter two bands. The driving force is double bassist & composer Milo Fitzpatrick (Portico Quartet) while heavily featuring saxophonist Jordan Smart (Mammal Hands, Sunda Arc).
The newly released Sierra Tracks is the follow up to their captivating 2022 debut Tremors in the Static. The title of the album refers the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains north-west of Madrid which Fitzpatrick has made his home for the past few years. In addition to Smart, Fitzpatrick has enlisted some additional collaborators including Taz Modi (piano), Harriet Riley (vibraphone), Pete Hill (drums), along with an ensemble of string players all of whom help to really expand the sonic palette and atmospherics of the new record as it gracefully navigates between soaring peaks and meditative valleys. Simmering with warm acoustics, organic beauty, and nimble musicianship, it is an absolutely refreshing and uplifting listen from the first note to the last.
Sierra Tracks is now available from Gondwana in a double LP black vinyl edition as well as CD & digital featuring artwork and design by Veil Projects.
Links: Bandcamp (LP/CD/digital) | Vega Trails | Gondwana Records
