Guitarist Teis Semey is back, and assertively so. His high voltage Nordic avant-garde is invigorating, and his band sounds better than ever. Building on the success of Mean Mean Machine (2021) and learning from the choral Midnight Mess Vol. 1 (2023) and the electro-improv sounds of Crudo (2024), the Danish guitar phenomenon returns to home base with his Amsterdam quintet. Gather around for En Masse!, their new album.
The newest band member Jesse Schilderink on tenor sax is a musical bulldozer, pushing the band in favor of the extrovert and wild together with José Soares on alto sax. Underpinned by Sun-Mi Hong on drums and Jort Terwijn on bass, the Teis Semey Quintet is an otherworldly meteor shower, moving in unison through unspoken cues and raw energy. Frontman Teis Semey cunningly balances the chaos with tenderness and depth, showcasing a newfound connection to his background with titles such as ’A Tender Melody to Help Me Get through Winter’ and ’A Song for My Siblings’.
José Soares alto sax, Jesse Schilderink tenor sax, Teis Semey guitar, Jort Terwijn bass, Sun-Mi Hong drums