In my Best of 2024 post, I described this record as "Jazz fusion/pop/funk/electronic/orchestral music" and believe it or not, that is accurate.
Cole made this record over a period of three years, mostly recording live with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley during three or more live performances in 2022 and 2023. The orchestra was also recorded in a studio session in 2021, and there are several vocal and instrumental overdubs, but it's mostly live. In addition to the orchestra, there's Cole's remarkable drumming, synth and vocals and a small rock band of bass, guitar, keyboards, and saxophone, plus six vocalists in chorus (including Cole's longtime musical partner Genevieve Artardi). The record took six months for Cole to mix, combining different takes and merging multiple orchestra recordings in to a whole. There's a lot going on.
The record opens with Ludovici Cole Est Frigus, a lovely modern classical overture. Things Will Fall Apart follows, and it is a funky rock tune with Cole's falsetto vocals and hot drums, and orchestral backing. I should note here that all but two of the songs feature the orchestra either prominently or in the background, and those two are short Cole solo pieces. So if I don't mention the orchestra, they are always there. Life is next, and it's a fast pop song with vocals and crazy hot playing. It Always Passes is a slow, charming orchestral piece.
Cruisin' For P, a highlight, is a big band jazz that swings, featuring just the brass and woodwinds of the orchestra. It has a swell piano solo and Cole's outstanding drumming, always fast and busy. The rock of A Pill In The Sea shows off the band, the vocal chorus in a quieter middle section, and then returns to rockingly with a wild synth break. nothing, the title track, is an airy, ethereal orchestral piece that is lovely. Who Cares 1 is all Cole on multiple instruments, a pulsating alt-rock gem. Who Cares 2 is sort of the same song, but with Cole's drums and voice, the vocal chorus, and a big dramatic orchestra section. It sounds like an odd mix, but it works. I could say that about the entire record.
And that's just the half of it. Wizard Funk opens side three, and it's another brass and woodwinds only funky big band jazz that has a lilting, almost calliope-like sound in parts. Weird Moments is aptly titled, with fast drums, choral voices, and horn blasts, all amidst experimental orchestral funk. Soft vocal and orchestra fill High Five, while a sweet melody and and fine synth break highlight These Dreams Are Killing Me. On Shallow Laughter: Bitches, lilting strings and vocal are followed by funky drums and a wild dual sax and synth break.
Let It Happen is an ethereal, chant-like, drums, vocal and orchestra piece. The 11 minute Doesn't Matter is modern orchestral melodic melancholy that builds slowly with simple, fetching melodies. Finally, the gentle solo piano of You Belong puts a tender coda on the whole affair. Then you can sit and ponder what you just heard.
It works as a singular piece of modern stylistic potpourri for those who still have the attention span to listen to music for an hour straight. If the description above has put you off this music, I have performed a disservice. Cole's writing for orchestra is melodic and easy to digest. This isn't atonal, challenging orchestral music, even if it is modern. His funk/pop/rock is fast and fun. It really is a unique, enjoyable musical experience, and that is pretty darn rare these days. It deserves to be heard, and if you have any kind of open mind, you'll be glad you gave it a try.
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