Formed in 2012, The Young Mothers is a powerhouse sextet of creative heavy-hitters who have helped shape the direction of forward-thinking music in New York, Chicago, Texas, and Scandinavia. Merging free jazz, grindcore, hip-hop, and experimental rock, the band creates a raw, cinematic sound that thrives on unpredictability and urgency.
Led by Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt HĆ„ker Flaten, the group began in Austin, Texas, where HĆ„ker Flaten found inspiration in the cityās fiercely diverse music scene. Drawing from his background in jazz and improvised music, he assembled an ensemble that could seamlessly navigate the intersections of genresāan explosive mix of groove, chaos, and lyrical depth. Their debut album, A Motherās Work Is Never Done (2014), proved their electrifying live energy could translate to the studio, and Morose (2018) solidified their reputation as sonic pioneers unafraid to blur boundaries....
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Formed in 2012, The Young Mothers is a powerhouse sextet of creative heavy-hitters who have helped shape the direction of forward-thinking music in New York, Chicago, Texas, and Scandinavia. Merging free jazz, grindcore, hip-hop, and experimental rock, the band creates a raw, cinematic sound that thrives on unpredictability and urgency.
Led by Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt HĆ„ker Flaten, the group began in Austin, Texas, where HĆ„ker Flaten found inspiration in the cityās fiercely diverse music scene. Drawing from his background in jazz and improvised music, he assembled an ensemble that could seamlessly navigate the intersections of genresāan explosive mix of groove, chaos, and lyrical depth. Their debut album, A Motherās Work Is Never Done (2014), proved their electrifying live energy could translate to the studio, and Morose (2018) solidified their reputation as sonic pioneers unafraid to blur boundaries.
After a six-year hiatus and a transatlantic relocation, The Young Mothers return with their long-awaited third album, Better If You Let It. Marking a shift toward a more collaborative writing process, the record expands their sound even furtherātrading in tight, locked grooves for unexpected twists, where avant-garde jazz collides with industrial textures, surreal lyricism, and an ever-present undercurrent of deep funk. The result is an album that demands attention, revealing new layers with each listen.
The music is unmistakably still The Young Mothers ā fans will not be disappointed ā but the band now shares the writing credits, a collective approach which makes for an even more diverse and wide palette of material. The more time you spend with it the more it grows on you, and there is soon no doubt that āBetter If You Let Itā is The Young Mothers finest albums to date.
Critics have hailed Better If You Let It as The Young Mothersā most compelling work to date. The Wire calls it āone of the finest examples of jazz/hip-hop fusion,ā while MOJO praises the bandās fearless approach: āA group that treats genre distinctions with disdainānothing is what it first seems on this one-way ticket to jazzās other reaches.ā 48 Hills draws comparisons to Weather Report, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and John Zorn, describing their sound as āa vast, exploratory soundscape,ā while Living Life Fearless celebrates their āfreeing and ecstaticā music, embracing the limitless spirit of sonic adventure.
With Jawwaad Taylor (trumpet/electronics), Jason Jackson (tenor/baritone saxophone), Jonathan F. Horne (guitar), Frank Rosaly (drums), Ingebrigt HĆ„ker Flaten and an unrelenting creative drive, The Young Mothers prove that jazz is not just aliveāitās untamed, unpredictable, and more vital than ever.
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