Mowgli - Gueule De Boa (2023)

Just as Kipling’s hero discovers a life on the edge of human society and blossoms among new companions, so the French trio Mowgli ventures where you might not expect. Their new album reminds us that electro-jazz resides in a playground that still flourishes. Intoxicating and catchy riffs are mixed with experimental themes, asymmetrical yet danceable grooves. Through the abundant and luxuriant vegetation of the music, you can penetrate deeper and deeper, like in a jungle.
The name of Ferdinand Doumerc may sound familiar to followers of BMC Records: the French saxophonist is the leader of Pulcinella, a band who has released three albums on the label. He is now joined by Pierre Pollet and keyboard player Bastien Andrieu, together, they seek a path blending the acoustic with the electric, the throbbing with the garish, the innocent with the wild. The album title is a French play on words: Gueule de Boa means “the throat of the boa” in English, but the pronunciation is the same as the French equivalent of “hangover”.