Zoid: Internal Space Element – An invigorating, inventive album

The multi-instrumentalist and producer Daniel Jacobson has been around for some time, acquainting himself initially with techno but then diving headlong into jazz. “With a strong effort,” notes his Bandcamp page, “he escaped and returned to the land of electronic reptilian dance beats”.

This essentially means that Internal Space Element is far removed from his 2007 debut, ZOiD versus the Jazz Musicians of Ireland, Vol 1. On that album, Jacobson crossed swords with noted Irish jazz musicians (including Mike Nielsen, Ronan Guilfoyle, Tommy Halferty and Michael Buckley) with intriguing results. Here he flips the gender by working with the vocalists Meljoann, Inni-K, Miriam Ingram and Suzanne Savage, and with classical trio of Cora Venus Lunny, Ailbhe McDonagh and Aoife Durnin (described on the album sleeve as “the Wrecking Crew of Irish strings”).

[ Gina Birch of the Raincoats: 'We tried to make something a bit feisty, a bit courageous' ]

There are many high points here: Portal (featuring Melojoann) is a simmering, summer torch/soul song; Snowfall Present (featuring Miriam Ingram) is a jittery joy that wouldn’t be out of place on Bjork: Greatest Hits; What Was the Question (featuring Suzanne Savage) is an alliance of strings and beats with additional sonic stabs and slices; Space Mission (featuring Meljoann) is a Kate Bush song given the Black Mirror treatment.

Eight songs and one remix; one guy and seven women. Result? A racket that is invigorating and inventive.