2023 Number 4: Monika Roscher Bigband

NIELS'  TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2023: Number 4
Monika Roscher Bigband – Witchy Activities and the Maple Death

I’m quite happy with this find: the German Big Band with the charismatic leader. Jazz prog fusion at its most exciting, and singer-guitarist Monika Roscher is one of the few people on my list who I’d describe as a proper rock star. A mercurial, intriguing presence. Her voice has been described as Bjork-like, but the comparison isn’t really fair to either.

To me, this album hits that sweet spot between left-field and weird but still song-based and juuust accessible enough. It’s extremely driven and high energy, often very dissonant but there’s moments of great beauty, too. It’s also allowed me to explore my latent love for large brass sections. Hooray. Big Big Train was a gateway drug. I’ve gone back and listened to some older Roscher work and in comparison this latest one is more focused, warmer, more melodic and, whisper it, less jazzy, more proggy. Jazz musicians make the best prog, it’s just how it works, ask Thank You Scientist. The real hardazz jazz is alienating to me, this feels more musical. But it’s still a riot.

In fact, I had this album pinned as my no. 1 for a while, but no fewer than three late arrivals in the year, all of them big comeback albums, meant that Monika will have to content herself with fourth place.