Drumhand

After years of honing their pan-continental rhythmic vibrations in a live setting, Toronto, ON-based "percussion dance jazz orchestra" Drumhand now offer a little something to keep you firmly grounded with introductory set Moving Still. As their name suggests, the cuts are rooted in an amalgam of international hand percussion traditions from which the album's many free-flowing displays of harmonious vocal and instrumental touches erupt like spurts of unleashed emotion. Much of this collection's energy comes by way of the many free-roaming horn solos, felt on songs like "The Chase," "Transit Muse" and "Beautiful at Once," helping to add vibrancy throughout while serving to break up the inescapably repetitive percussive base. When called upon, the vocalists (Toronto's own Elizabeth Shepherd is amongst the collective) pass along hypnotic, call-and-response-style chants that bring with them the type of spirituality generally felt in the rootsy rhythms they ride upon. While no substitute for watching or playing along, Moving Still is a treat for drum lovers out there.