Album Review: Risc by Full Blast (2016)
Alright, let’s talk about Risc by Full Blast. This album is one of those wild rides you didn’t know you needed until it smacked you upside the head with its free jazz-electronic chaos. Released in 2016 on Austria’s Trost Records, this thing feels like a mad scientist decided to mix up jazz improv with glitchy electronic beats and then just let it all explode. It’s raw, unpredictable, and honestly? Kinda genius.
The lineup here is stacked—Peter Brötzmann on reeds, Michael Wertmüller on drums, Marino Pliakas on electric bass, and Gerd Rische handling electronics. You’ve also got production wizardry from Martin Siewert and Gareth Jones, so yeah, they weren’t messing around when they made this beast. The artwork by Brötzmann himself adds that extra gritty vibe too; it’s like staring at an abstract painting while your ears get pummeled.
Now, onto the tracks. There are seven total, but two really stuck out for me: "Try Kraka" and "Schwarzspanier Street."
“Try Kraka” kicks off the album like someone hit play on a storm cloud full of saxophones and drum fills. It’s intense, man. Like, you can practically hear Peter Brötzmann sweating as he goes absolutely nuts on his sax. The rhythm section keeps shifting under him, making it feel like the ground's constantly moving beneath your feet. Honestly, listening to this track feels like being inside some kind of avant-garde action movie where no one told you the plot—but who needs plots when you’ve got energy like this?
Then there’s “Schwarzspanier Street,” which slows things down just enough to catch your breath before dragging you back into the whirlpool. This one has this brooding, almost sinister vibe thanks to Marino Pliakas’ basslines. They’re thick and heavy, like molasses dripping over sharp rocks. And the electronics? Oh man, they add this eerie layer that makes the whole thing feel kinda haunted. I kept imagining walking through a foggy alleyway late at night, except instead of fear, you’re just vibing hard because the music’s so damn good.
What I love most about Risc is how unapologetically itself it is. It doesn’t care if you “get it” or not—it’s gonna do its thing anyway. That takes guts, especially in a world where people want everything neatly packaged and easy to digest. But hey, maybe that’s why it sticks with you.
Fun fact: apparently Peter Brötzmann did both the artwork AND played reeds. Dude clearly doesn’t sleep. Also, shoutout to Gareth Jones for mixing this chaotic masterpiece—you’d think it’d be impossible to wrangle these sounds together, but somehow he pulled it off.
So yeah, Risc isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for chill background tunes, nah, this ain’t it. But if you wanna have your brain rearranged by sound, give it a spin. Honestly, after hearing it, I started wondering what Full Blast would sound like live—probably like standing too close to a jet engine while someone plays free jazz next to you. Wild stuff.
