BITCHIN BAJAS - Inland See

A name our readers should be familiar with by now: Bitchin Bajas, the Chicago outfit born as a side project of Cooper Crain of Cave, put together with the collaboration of Dan Quinlivan (Mahjongg) and Rob Frye, and always open to outside contributions and shared projects: the latest being "Totality", the Joshua Abrams-led Natural Information Society album released by Drag City.

"Inland See" follows the intriguing Sun Ra tribute "Switched On Ra" and the more classic mix of neo-psychedelia, kraut-rock, minimalism and ambient that made up "Bajascillators".

Bitchin Bajas pick up where their 2022 album left off, retaining both its structure, just four tracks, and its organic quality: the cohesiveness of the whole is once again the project's defining trait. Where "Bajascillators" lingered on radiant tones akin to the smooth ambient-electronic textures of Cluster or the graces of Harmonia, the new record "Inland See" explores the band's darker side: the compositions are less formal and the arrangements less meticulous, evolving and expanding with impressive naturalness, partly the result of choosing not to add elements in post-production beyond the studio recordings, and of leaving room for small imperfections.

The nearly nineteen minutes of "Graut" serve as a compendium to the rest of the album, but also as a deeper exploration of the instrumental themes hinted at by the three preceding tracks. The bright, crystalline electronic tones flow by, brushing up against early Kraftwerk and Terry Riley, in a play of references that gradually builds into an irresistible groove. While "Inland See" doesn't add anything new to what the band has already said in the past, it's remarkable how Bitchin Bajas manage to bring cohesion and warmth to soft, velvety ambient-jazz excursions ("Skylarking") or to delicate piano and synth phrasing that lingers on twilight, melodically nimble atmospheres ("Reno").

The Chicago group's latest work is a more exploratory, spiritual record, confirmed by the subtle shifts of the evocative "Keiji Dreams". An intriguing exercise in digression and distortion of the ambient clichés tested and consolidated by Brian Eno somewhere between "Another Green World" and "Ambient 1: Music For Airports", a project not without surprises and creative sparks, hinting at future delights: it will be interesting to see the creative energy of Bitchin Bajas on their announced Italian tour (five dates starting April 7th: Avellino, Rome, Corciano, Florence, Udine).

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31/01/2026