Album of the Week // 13-17 December

Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange presents bouncing Brazilian rhythms, psychedelic dub-grooves, spiritual jazz, and steady, deep-house rollers on ‘Prayer For Peace’. Recorded live in the esteemed Jazzanova studios, and guesting the likes of Wayne Snow, the eight-track LP has real human spirit imbued in every note, with the level of production to easily stand up on the club system.

The collective is an evolving outfit, and the meeting point of improvisation and dance music. Headed up by drummer and band leader Ziggy Zeitgeist, a staple of the Australian music scene most prominently touring and recording with Melbourne Nu-Soul / future-jazz collective ‘30/70’. Ziggy’s music championed across the breadth of the jazz and dance world, from Gilles Peterson, Kamaal Williams, and Byron The Aquarius.

Mixed and engineered by platinum producer engineer Axel Reinemer, ‘Prayer for Peace’ is set for release on Get Together, a genre defying collective and label with the aim to harmonize people, art & music, and has championed the burgeoning talent of Felipe Gordon, Cody Currie, Scissorwork &more.

The LP represents the Berlin chapter of the Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange. Though Ziggy emerged from the murky depths of the Melbourne underground, he arrived in Berlin in summer 2019 and wasted no time in assembling a talented and diverse group of assorted freaks from many corners of the world to bring their own languages, melodies, rhythms and swagger.

This session captures the raw energetic fusion of such diverse and innovative musicians co-existing and absorbing the culture of the city, where techno and nu-jazz collide. Ziggy's influences start in the 70s nodding to American jazz funk legends Idris Muhammed, Grover Washington Jr and Herbie Hancock. Detroit and New York and the rich musical heritage of early disco, techno and house music, and today's game changing trips to London’s Total Refreshment Centre bumping heads with the likes of Kokoroko, Yusef Days, Kamaal Williams and Nubya Garcia.

You can pinpoint these key markers on ‘Prayer For Peace’. From the Jazz-funk inspired title track, to the infectious boogie twilight of 'Cadillac’, this is a record that is equally well suited to the dance floor as it is to an intimate night with the turntable spinning and the sensual herbs burning.