MENTAT ROUTAGE

French ensemble MENTAT ROUTAGE was formed around 2006, and its members describe themselves as a transartistic collective "combining improvised music, tap-dance, painting and video-projection", the latter two aspects parts of their live shows, courtesy of Didier Ledus. Musically they describe their stylistic territory as a variety of free-form-oriented experimental contemporary jazz. In 2010 they were signed by Musea Records, which issued their self-titled debut album on their imprint Musea Parallele.

Highly experimental albums tend to be, at least in my experience, something of a hit-and-miss experience, as is the case for this initial effort by Mentat Routage as well, where moments of magic and true brilliance can be found side-by-side with pieces of a far more lacklustre nature, at least for those who weren't in the studio at the time this album was assembled. Dedicated followers of adventurous and challenging music should know their visiting time on this occasion though, where those with a soft spot for the jazz-oriented escapades of capital P progressive music in particular have an item worth their attention in this case.