Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble "Here Be Dragons" LP Review

Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble “Here be Dragons” LP

  

 One band that I can’t stop listening to as of late is The Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble. The band is a mix of atmospheric and jazz sounds, often heard in drone and dark ambient.  The added classical elements led the band to coin the term “dark jazz” describing their sound. The band was formed by a couple of art graduates named Jason Konhem(Bong Ra) and Gideon Kiers(Telcosystems).  They decided to create music that could be placed over some of their favorite short films like F.W. Murnau’s  (Nosferatu) and F. Lang’s (Metropolis). Originally creating music as a duo, the band would later go on to form a 7 piece mini orchestra that featured trombone, violin, cello, drums, guitars, bass, electronics, and vocals. Their second release, “Here be Dragons”, is sonic maelstrom of dark atmospheres that draws the listener in one track at a time. The atmosphere this record gives is a very dark yet elegant sound. It almost reminds me of the kind of music you would hear playing in a darkened lounge while ghosts are dancing to the enchanting melodies. The band doesn’t go overboard on the instrumentation either. Everything fits into place and comes in at the right moment, never ceasing to disappoint. I recommend this to open-minded listeners and people who just want to relax to dark chilling tunes.