A drum and organ duo? It’s hard to imagine how just drums and organ could be an engaging duo on their own, but Trummor & Orgel will absolutely change your mind if you have any doubt. The Swedish duo have played with artists like Ebbot Lundberg (The Soundtrack of Our Lives), Magnus Carlsson (Weeping Willows), Peter Morén (Peter, Bjorn & John); as well as have had their music in several movies and TV-shows and were even nominated in the Swedish “Grammys” and performed hundreds of gigs in the Nordics and part of Europe.
Trummor & Orgel’s new album Indivisibility goes back to their roots, just drums and organ. According to their press release, “It is about finding the balance point between the organic and the electronic, the dynamic and the predictable, before and now; equilibrium between man and machine.” It’s an upbeat, groovy vibe of an album. It’ll get your toes tapping and your fingers snapping.
So what does Trummor & Orgel sound like, you ask? Well, imagine Medeski, Martin, & Wood without Wood and floating somewhere in space. They hit a couple moods here: exuberant fun and reflective contemplation. The album opens with “Metropolis”, which is a fast-moving groove ship of big drums and spacey organ. A mix of swinging 60s and outer space sonics. “Imaginary Friends” comes in on hand claps and a friendly organ melody. It’s like the theme music to a game show that you dreamt. It doesn’t quite exist anywhere but your subconscious, but when you wake up that organ melody remains. “Slippery” opens up with a great groove and a memorable melody and doesn’t let up for the remainder of the tracks 3 1/2 minutes.
The album is engineered to perfection, making every snare hit and echoing organ note shine. I can see why Trummor & Orgel are in such high demand. They know how to build mood and serious vibes in just the confines of a drum and organ duo. Indivisibility shows a knack for for steady musicianship and melodic instinct.
One of my favorite tracks is the dreamy and lilting “Transcendence”. What could have been a low key, soft music journey is actually quite a grooving experience. A “four on the floor” drum beat pushes the lush organ sound along beautifully. Album closer “Zodiac” closes things out on a high note. It’s like Jimmy Smith floating in the cosmos with even hints of Genesis’ “Throwing It All Away” melody hidden inside those dense organ tones.
Trummor & Orgel’s big and bombastic Indivisibility is a fun and refreshing shot of drum and organ music. It’s a road trip spin or a late night listen. You make the call.
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