Following their Knocknarea and Connla’s Well EPs, U.K. jazz-punks Maruja will complete the trilogy with Tir na nÓg on Feb. 21 via Music For Nations. The four-song project is completely improvised and meant to be heard in one sitting, recorded live last fall at the New Adelphi Recording Studios in Salford University.
The seven-minute opening track “Aon” — the first taste of the new EP, out today — captures the spirit of ayahuasca trips, spiritual jazz, and the freedom of spontaneity. Saxophonist Joe Carroll adopts a tone indebted to Sufi music, whereas torrents of feedback and vocalist Harry Wilkinson’s cries build to a chaotic climax on the back half.
Read more: The metamorphic bass playing of Anna Butterss
Conceptually, the EP follows a similar path as their previous releases, drawing inspiration from Celtic mythology. They explain, “Tír na nÓg means ‘The Otherworld.’ In Irish mythology, this is the parallel universe where all magic spawns from, the origin of creativity. The ancient stories about Tír na nÓg teach us wisdom and lessons still valuable today about love, health, connection, and respect. The notion that the tangible world is not the be-all and end-all is also something we explore sonically when we improvise together — it’s here where we allow ourselves to become vessels to new ideas that present themselves without thought.”
Maruja will go on their first U.S. tour this spring, including festival slots at SXSW and Big Ears. They’ll also play the Manchester date of Outbreak in June.
Listen to Maruja’s “Aon” and see the Tir na nÓg EP artwork below.
