Jazz trio Mammal Hands, from Norwich, release their second album Floa after their successful debut album in 2014, Animalia.

By Josh Orme

The album Floa brought to you by the musically adept jazz trio of Nick Smart (piano), Jesse Barrett (drums and percussion), and Jordan Smart (saxophones), together known as Mammal Hands, is a purely instrumental album that develops both within and across tracks the more you listen to it. At times, the music on the album has a sleep-inducing feel to it (in a good way) and at others it is explosively powerful and hypnotic. The wonderfully composed tracks are layered brilliantly, with a repeated base tier that is then built upon as the songs progress, more often than not with a punchy saxophone riff.

The album features a plethora of delightful songs from the beginning until the end, but one of the tracks that stands out as one of the best examples is the sixth one – The Eyes That Saw the Mountain. Along with a rather poetic title, this track is a wonderful example of Mammal Hands’ seamless and intricate compositions, opening with soft chimes, followed by a melodic piano line, then combined with a strong saxophone piece. This album is a great example of what is to come from the Norwich band in the future.

Mammal Hands are an obvious musical talent with their latest album Floa and 2014 album Animalia, and are most definitely recommended for anybody who is an admirer of jazz music, complex compositions, easy listening and distinctive instrumentals.

Mammal Hand’s second album Floa is available now.