Irish quintet Umbra effortlessly move between the rich harmonic world of contemporary jazz and cyclical grooves, displaying an approach to ensemble writing that has drawn comparisons from Meshuggah and Aphex Twin to John Hollenbeck & Jim McNeely. Led by guitarist & composer Chris Guilfoyle, the music cleverly integrates this smorgasbord of influences to distill a band sound that is decidedly contemporary and indeed complex, but one which never loses sight of the melody.

Drummer Matt Jacobsen (a previous 12 Points artist with ReDiVideR in 2011) and bassist Barry Donohue lay down wonderfully elastic grooves, while the contrasting horns of soprano Chris Engel and tenor Sam Comerford make the most of the explosive front line in the company of Chris Guilfoyles intricate guitar playing