It’s always a pleasure to see audience members traversing the cold and rain of a bleak Thursday night in February to support emerging avant‑garde talent at The Basement. In this case, their effort was well rewarded by the contemporary jazz‑rock quartet Di‑Cysgodion.

By Caitlin Barnard

The ensemble is helmed by Welsh bassist Huw V. Williams, who draws on a diverse array of influences, from revered rock band Deerhoof to Thelonious Monk, to forge a novel approach to jazz fusion. Williams draws upon these works throughout his experimentation and composition, providing a cornerstone that offers fertile ground for improvisational play.

This is only amplified in its live setting by the jazz sensibilities of the group, stylistically distinguished by stereo guitar performances from Mike De Souza and Billy Marrows. Their conversational solos and harmonic layering expertly juxtapose with drummer Jay Davis’s discerning percussion.

As the group takes the stage with a piece entitled 18/02/2023, this symbiotic combination of traditional and alternative media creates riveting sonic tension that allows the sound to swell and recede at ease. The audience follows these unexpected twists attentively, following the growing momentum that builds into the succeeding songs.

The group are clearly comfortable playing with unconventional and diverse soundscapes. There are moments where Davis grazes a violin bow against his cymbals, accompanied by Williams’ contemplative plucking to command an eerie atmosphere that wouldn’t feel out of place in a film noir. Elsewhere, on Vague meets vague, Marrows’ arpeggiated melodies float above a sprawling wilderness of lush instrumentation and bass‑rich grooves.

For such a fluid setlist, each song follows a subtly perceptible structure that threads the bouts of experimentation and dense harmonic layers together to form a complex overall storyline. They are not afraid to traverse the rise and falls, exemplified in the song Mugs, which leads with a subtly disconcerting lead melody, descending into a psychedelic cacophony of layers and textures. What is striking is Davis’s ability to stay firmly in the pocket, snapping the movement back into submission and propelling the energy of the room forward.

Marrows displays commanding use of distortion, dragging a nail across his strings in a fashion stylistically reminiscent of a theremin. This only heightens the retro‑futuristic sensibility threaded throughout, warranting an exclamation from the promoter, “It’s like latin jazz goes to outer space.”

The beginning two pieces of their second act are a particular highlight, as the dark, bluesy guitar riffs rise softly and dissonantly. It feels like the crowd is being lulled into a false sense of security by the minor chord progressions, which refuse to resolve. This propels the group into another standout track – a moody, mysterious Twin Peaks‑evocative piece – which offers the crowd a feeling of wading through honey. As the song evolves, it is as though sounds are falling like shards of broken glass, with each disparate element coming together to form a homogeneous whole.

Souza is a brilliantly expressive player. His guitar articulates his focus, intensity, and passion through each lick, adding to the effectiveness of the overall storytelling. This is particularly evident in the more groovy, funkier realms that the group explores towards the end of the set on 05/05/21. This is perfectly complemented by Williams, whose nodding approval for each new avenue explored is underscored by his relentless, heavy low‑end.

It is hard to nail down one sound that defines this evening, as the group is pulling influences from across time and space. However, it’s safe to say this elusive sonic journey proves the world of modern jazz continuously has something novel to offer.

Select members will be returning to the venue as part of the Billy Marrows Band on 26 March for his Dancing on Bentwood Chairs album tour, giving you the chance to experience the jazz stylings of members Marrows, Williams, and Davis for yourself.

Di-Cysgodion played at The Basement, York on behalf of Navigators Art on Thursday 5 February 2026.