Review: Kajgun - Daogoad

Fusion in music genres can often bring wonderful results. This is what Kajgun is all about, a psychedelic Jazz metal band comprised of members from bands Vanta and Modef. What’s even more special is that all of the tracks on their instrumental debut album, Daogoad, are improvisations, very much in the spirit of classic jazz bands who used to perform on the fly and improvise much of their live sets. The quartet hails from Budapest, Hungary, hence the album and song titles in Hungarian, perhaps? I wasn’t able to find translations for them online. One interesting tidbit is that the album title, Daogoad, is a palindrome, a word that is spelled the same backwards and forwards.

This was my first time listening to a Jazz metal album and I was impressed. It reminded me of my first foray into Jazz fusion/experimental with Miles Davis’s legendary 1970 double album Bitches Brew. That album was looser than Miles’s previous records and focused more on rock-influenced arrangements based on improvisation. Daogoad opens with my favorite of the four tracks on the album, titled “Maorey Suh Raawb”, it features synths reminiscent of ‘70s/’80s electronic prog band Tangerine Dream. The saxophone really adds extra class to the procedures. This is also what makes this band so unique: the plethora of instruments showcased. There are guitars, drums, saxophone, wind instruments, synthesizers, theremin, electric violin, and other effects. Track number two, “Dhao Neyr Kouxmala”, the lengthiest on the record, running a little over fifteen minutes, starts off quietly and builds to a crescendo of sounds. The song has a pleasant oriental flavour. The guitar playing truly gives it a metal edge, making it stand-out from what we usually encounter on a Jazz piece. The third cut, “Ptahfraw Nowmuuz”, is runner-up for my favorite track. Very elaborate with splendid use of the theremin, it fully immerses you in the band’s jam session. “Alaiyenna” concludes the album and may very well be the catchiest of the four pieces. It has a sense of urgency that leaves you invigorated when things come to an end.

Daogoad will be unleashed on February 11 and I urge you to seek it out. If you like Jazz, metal, instrumental albums, or all three, I’m convinced you’ll appreciate this record. For instance, on a personal note, my girlfriend happens to be a Jazz enthusiast but she’s really not a metal fan, yet she enjoyed Daogoad. The opposite, I believe, would work as well: if you’re a metalhead and don’t care for Jazz, you’ll still get a kick out of this album. I also recommend visiting the band’s YouTube channel where you can watch them play these and other jam sessions, including live shows. Watching them perform adds a lot to the experience of listening to their unique brand of music.

Kajgun’s Bandcamp page: https://kajgun.bandcamp.com/music

Kajgun’s YouTube channel