The Necks

The Necks are a Sydney-based trio that has been producing long form improvisational jazz since 1987. Their music intersects avant-garde and ambient in some ways. It tends to be quiet and meditative, taking simple melodic or rhythmic ideas as their starting point (as jazz artists often do) and patiently working on them until they evolve into grand pieces that typically last around 20 minutes, and in some cases, pushing even farther. They do this by patiently adding subtle changes along the way. The result is atmospheric and hypnotic, with a borderline hallucinogenic quality at times. Their instrumentation remains acoustic, with little or no electronic embellishment. They have a somewhat minimalist approach in the way they play, with no flashy parts to distract, but the level of musicianship on display is quite masterful.