Jazz is a borderless music – and Lukas Aichinger’s AHL6 embodies this understanding. There’s a whole lot to like about this band: the leader’s risk-taking and gratifyingly solid playing; the guitarist’s seemingly endless sonic invention; a muscular horn section able to deliver precision without sacrificing sound. The improvising is thoroughly convincing, but the real star here is the ensemble and the music itself: Aichinger’s compositions are dense without being busy, complex and quirky but not alienating. Each piece guides the listener with a steady hand along the paths conceived by the composer. Aichinger’s inspiration comes largely from current societal developments, particularly our ongoing negotiation with new technologies – and these ideas find their way into the pieces as well; glitchy electronic effects from guitar and trumpet(!) are woven seamlessly into the music, as if to say yes, it’s a weird new world, but we may yet make our peace with it. In short, AHL6 has created a world of sound all its own – urgent, packed with surprises and open in heart and mind.

"AHL6 fill the jazz theory with life through clever interplay, permanent musical transgressions as well as a big wealth of ideas and in doing so celebrate a sound that reveals extremely exciting idiosyncrasies." – Michael Ternai, mica