Kot je že tipično za Fazzul izdaje, je tudi ta album zasnovan okrog jazza, a spet ne gre za navaden jazz (še ena tipična Fazzul lastnost). Yolk v glasbo mešajo elemente rocka, avantgarde, simfoničnega rocka (klasike), folk glasbe in še česa. Za rock element je odgovorna predvsem močna prisotnost kitare, ki zna včasih biti jazzovska, a dostikrat je orientirana tudi rockovsko. Za simfoničen element je odgovoren mellotron (ali sampli mellotrona), ki včasih spominja na King Crimson (In The Court, In The Wake of in Red). Seveda Yolk ne pozabijo niti na to, da sta tudi eksperimentacija in avantagrda pomembna dela glasbe in to na albumu nenehno slišimo. A nikoli ni toliko eksperimentiranja, da se zdi kot da pretiravajo. Razmerje med melodijo in ekspermineti se vedno zdi pravo.
Yolk so le trije glasbeniki, vendar pa po zvoku človek tega sploh ne bi rekel. Seveda bi lahko nekaj pripisali tudi gostujočima glasbenikoma, a mislim da ima mnogo zaslug tudi dinamika glasbe in neverjeten talent ter znanje tria, ki sodeluje v kreativnem procesu. Stauli je čudovit bobnar, pokaže pa tudi talent za igranje atmosferičnih delov na klaviaturah. Petje morda ni njegova prednost, tehnično pač v tem predelu ni najboljši, vendar pa se čuti, da se ob tem početju zabava, kar ima ponavadi pozitiven učinek tudi na poslušalce. Burkhard je dober basist z odličnim občutkom za ritem in funk, medtem ko je Riechsteinerjev stil precej raznolik. Lahko igra hard rock, nežne dele (skoraj pop), jazz solaže, akustično (klasično) kitaro, itd. Na albumu imamo tudi dva gosta. Saksofon prispeva precej več kot pozavna in zvočna kulisa je z njim mnogo bolj zanimiva. Pozavna ni tako zelo prisotna, a vseeno lahko slišimo nekaj lepih delov.
Založba Fazzul predstavlja še eno ploščo, ki je ponovno ušla izpod radarja večine progresivnih (in drugih) oboževalcev. Ta četrti album iz leta 2003 pokaže triove sposobnosti za jame, kompozicije, igranje in v bistvu za vse kar si zamislijo na svojih instrumentih. Ni mi jasno zakaj Yolk in ostali projekti na založbi Fazzul niso na "največjem" viru za progresivno glasbo (progarchives), ker ta glasba vsebuje tisti pravi duh progresivne glasbe - je izvirna, inovativna, včasih nora, drugič smrtno resna, a vedno zanimiva in polna svežih zamisli.
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Yolk is a Swiss project which features the drummer from Spaltklang Remy Strauli and is not to be confused with the French band of the same name. This Yolk is a trio of musicians which again plays mostly jazz, but they have the tendency to stray into many other genres as well. This is the trio's forth album and the band is aided by a trombone player and a sax man (no, not Stauss this time!), where the saxophone player is particularly vital for the overall sound of the band.
As is typical for Fazzul music releases, this album is again based around jazz, but this is not ordinary jazz (another typical Fazzul trait). Yolk mix in some great elements, like rock, avant-garde, symphonic (classical), folk music and much more. The rock element is produced particularly by the great presence of the guitar, which can be jazzy at times but it is also very rock oriented at times. The symphonic elements are supplied by the mellotron (or the mellotron sample), which is reminiscent of King Crimson (In The Court, In The Wake of and Red). Naturally, Yolk don't forget that experimentation and avant-garde are also important in music and we can hear this in abundance throughout the record. However, there's never so much experimentation that you feel they've gone overboard. The balance between melody and experimentation always seems to be right.
Yolk is a band that consists only of three players, but it doesn't really sound like that. Sure, some of this can be attributed to the guest musicians, but I think a lot of it has to do with the excellent dynamics of the music and the amazing talent and skill of the trio involved in the creative process. Stauli is a fabulous drummer and exhibits his talent for laying down some fine atmospheric keyboard textures. Perhaps his singing isn't technically the best, but you can tell he's having lots of fun doing it, which usually has a positive effect on the listener as well. Burkhard is a fine bass player with a great sense of rhythm and funk, while Riechsteiner's style is as versatile as it gets. He can play hard rock passages, mellow (almost pop) sounds, jazz solos, acoustic (classical) guitar etc. We also have two guests on the album. The saxophone contributes much more than the trombone and it really makes for a much better overall sonic impression than if it were absent. The trombone is much less present but still adds some nice parts.
Fazzul music presents another record that's completely escaped under the radar of most progressive (and other) musical fans. This forth studio release from 2003 shows the trio's ability to jam, compose, play and basically do anything they want with their instruments. Why Yolk and any other project on the Fazzul Music label isn't on the "ultimate" source for progressive music - progarchives - is beyond me because this kind of music contains the true spirit of progressive rock - original, inventive, sometimes crazy, sometimes dead serious, but always intriguing and full of fresh ideas. Come, on, some Yolk won't kill you, try it!
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