Zu - Jhator (House Of Mythology) 2017
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If ZU’s past works were steeped in the sounds of the Occident, Jhator is undoubtedly their channelling of the soul of the Orient; inspired by Tibetan funeral rites and various Egyptian texts, it strips back their weighty and often imposing instrumentation and opts instead for creeping minimalism to craft a structured yet formless sonic journey. The ominous “A Sky Burial” begins the rite, the flutter of strings mingling with organic chatter to echo some obtuse death rattle, while “The Dawning Moon Of The Mind” marks a rebirth, scattered synth swooshes and flickers of classical guitar paving the way for the ferrymans call of Luca T Mais sax. It’s less an album than a complete sensory experience, and sonic travellers everywhere would do well to get on board.