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MUSIC REVIEW | Atlas Maior Release Plush ‘Riptide’
Austin’s avant-garde outfit Atlas Maior recently dropped a new album, entitled Riptide, a collection of progressive and American jazz, traditional Middle Eastern music, and cool Latin spice.
Made up of Joshua Thomson (alto sax), Charilie Lockwood (oud), Josh Peters (oud), and Ted Camat (drums, percussion), Atlas Maior’s unique melodies revolve around maqamat, a Middle Eastern “system of scales, habitual melodic phrases, modulation possibilities, ornamentation techniques and aesthetic conventions that together form a rich melodic framework and artistic tradition.”
Supported by showcase performances from Robert Riggio (violin), Gary Calhoun James (double bass), Tarik Hassan (double bass), and Sari Andoni (oud), the album was produced by Thomson and Lockwood, mixed by Gary Calhoun James, and mastered by Carl Saff.
Describing the album, Thomson says, “Our 5th studio release Riptide is the culmination of many creative ideas that have come to fruition. This is the band’s most polished album and it’s informed by our experiences working together, and the struggles and achievements we’ve experienced as people. There’s a lot of depth, emotion, and expression within the songs on Riptide. Themes of loss, gain, resilience, and perseverance are all in there.”
