Faszinierende Beziehungsgeflechte, die gelegentlich ein Streichquintett mit schwebenden Klängen klassisch veredelt. Oszillierend in sinnlichen Vexierbildern, erweist sich ‚Continuum‘ bei aller konzeptioneller Strenge als intensiver Fluss überwältigender Emotionen.
Sven Thielmann, HiFi+Records
Wo Ronin – die Musiker überschneiden sich – das Gewicht starker auf die komplexen rhythmischen Verzahnungen der Module (so nennt er seine durchnummerierten Tracks) legen und einen (trügerisch) kompakteren Eindruck vermitteln, wirken die insistierend wiederholten Variationen hier nachdenklicher, gespinstiger, weitläufiger.
Markus Schneider, Rolling Stone (Germany)
Das neue Album hat Bärtsch mit seinem Quartett Mobile aufgenommen – mit den Schlagzeugern Kaspar Rast und Nicolas Stocker sowie mit Sha an der (Kontra-)Bassklarinette; in drei Stücken stösst überdies ein Streichquintett dazu. Bärtsch weiss von diesen klanglichen Möglichkeiten zu profitieren. In der klanglichen Verdichtung von Mobile schlägt der fein getunte Mechanismus der Instrumente nicht selten in etwas Magisches um, das den rituellen Charakter dieser Musik unterstreicht. Doch wird die Strenge und Prägnanz der Vorgaben nun immer wieder durch klangliche Vielfalt und stilistische Varianten umspielt. Wo der Flügel zunächst für flirrende Impressionen sorgt, erhitzt er sich später zu einem wütenden Furor, der sich in tremoloartigen Fugen entlädt. Und wenn Mobile einen Klang kultiviert, der den Raum einbezieht, um in ihm quasi die Zeit atmen zu lassen, so schaffen die diskret und doch pointiert eingesetzten Streicherklänge flächige Farbigkeit und pulsierende Expressivität.
Üeli Bernays, Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Mobile remains a vehicle well suited to Bärtsch's sophisticated approach to composing and arranging. There is less of the Asian influences that inspired some of Bärtsch's earlier work with the group, but Mobile remains an inclusive amalgam of progressive jazz and minimalism. Without dominating the pieces in which they appear, the strings add something new to that pallet, reflecting Bärtsch's interest in György Ligeti and other classical composers.
Karl Ackermann, All About Jazz
Mobile remains a vehicle well suited to Bärtsch's sophisticated approach to composing and arranging. There is less of the Asian influences that inspired some of Bärtsch's earlier work with the group, but Mobile remains an inclusive amalgam of progressive jazz and minimalism. Without dominating the pieces in which they appear, the strings add something new to that pallet, reflecting Bärtsch's interest in György Ligeti and other classical composers. With its variety of styles, ‘Continuum’ is the best of Mobile's albums to date, despite the very high bar set from the beginning.
Karl Ackermann, All About Jazz
Nik Bärtsch’s Mobile is a unique acoustic group that creates shapely and pristine chamber jazz. The eight tracks on ‘Continuum’ are marvels of control and tension – as much atmosphere as groove. At the same time, these deeply worked cuts are intensely rhythmic, if irregular. This is an album of edgy beauty.
Carlo Wolff, Downbeat
‘Continuum’, Bartsch’s new ECM release takes a break from the funkier approach found on his previous releases with Ronin, for the label, ‘Stoa’ (2006) ‘Holon’ (2008), ‘Llyria’ (2010) and ‘Live’ (2012) to one balanced in rhythm and in the subtle changes of texture found in interlocking melodic and harmonic lines. The addition of an expanded string section on three numbers really fleshes out the slowly changing melodic and harmonic phrases […] ‘Continuum’ propels the ever evolving landscape of Nik Bartsch’s utterly compelling concept. It’s an album where it’s depth is continually revealed over time. It’s a concise shining example of what the drama and passion Bartsch and company are able to bring to their intensely focused music that in the past has embraced it’s ritual origins by going on for as long as thirty six continuous hours. The possibilities in this concept for Bartsch are seemingly endless, and the way he is able to bring his vision to each group he leads is breathtaking, full of twists, and fascinating to behold.
CJ Shearn, Jazz Views
The genius of Nik Bärtsch’s groups lies in their ability to take simple figures and do some real sophisticated things with seemingly so little. That repetitive figure ends up being the only ‘simple’ thing about the music, while the rhythmic patterns and modulations push this music into innovative territory. That Bärtsch can apply this innovation so effectively with a bass-less combo and even with a small string section further validates the soundness of this unique approach.
Victor S. Aaron, Something Else Reviews
Bärtsch offers eight tracks that harness his piano structures and tangle them with layers of percussion and clarinet to create something that at quieter moments can recall an inside-out form of chamber music while at others a kind of futuristic dance music fusion.
Chris Barton, L.A. Times
