The second ECM album by Swiss pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch with his band Ronin reflects the development the group has undergone in the two years since the release of "Stoa," thanks to numerous performances. Bärtsch emphasizes that intensive playing has significantly contributed to their maturation. The band pursues an organic evolution, which serves as the central driving force behind their music. Modular structures, polymetric rhythms, interwoven patterns, and recurring motifs are characteristic of the pieces. While Bärtsch describes the band's musical approach as a "spiral continuum" that differs from the Western avant-garde ideals of constant innovation, a conceptual development can nevertheless be observed: Ronin's sound now presents itself as both more relaxed and inextricably boundless, while the groove is always maintained.
