Albums of the Week: Volant – Matthew Ottignon // Kokoro – Sababa 5 & Yurika

Volant – Matthew Ottignon

From one of Australia’s most in-demand saxophonists, Matthew Ottignon comes a new ensemble and self-titled album Volant. The music effortlessly blends his spiritual jazz influences with the minimalist, introspective acoustic jazz that Australia is renowned for. Crafted amidst a period of solitude, Volant represents an ambitious step in Ottignon’s artistic musical journey, drawing inspiration from birds in flight—a motif that ultimately defines the album’s ethereal quality.

Volant presents a narrative of flight and freedom, and through meticulously crafted compositions, Ottignon makes space for both collective intention and expressive individuality. He shares “The essence of our music feels akin to the enchanting dance of birds in flight, creating otherworldly shapes, silhouetted against the night sky.”

Kokoro – Sababa 5 & Yurika

Middle Eastern psych, funk, disco, and Japanese folk and pop, converge to create a mesmerising new sound on ‘Kokoro’, Sababa 5 and Yurika’s collaborative debut album for Batov Records. In ‘Kokoro’, Sababa 5 and Yurika present a collection of tracks that transcend cultural boundaries and delve into the depths of human emotion. From the nostalgic romance of “Nasnusa” to the carefree “Halilim Halilim”, each song on the album tells a story of love, sisterhood, and the journey of the soul.