once again as with all their cds.funky loungy jazzy beats to move your body!pure genius for lovers of good music!!do yourself a favor.just buy it

The Second Record Album starts off with the break-neck pace of “Heat is not Made of Tiny Hot Things”, a number that takes jazz and pushes its limits into that of contemporary alternative jazz music in habited by the likes of Chicago favorites Tortoise. While the album calms down with track two’s “Empty Chicago”, the band’s integrity continues smoothly from the opening track. Again, Mystikos Quintet hold back on the typical jazz grandstanding and rely instead on the ability to ride out a groove and let the music create its own atmosphere. A new birth of cool is born on the track “You Know Soul”, given even jam gods Mediski, Martin, and Wood. The only thing unfortunate about “You Know Soul” is it’s breaking from the instrumental theme set forth by the album. It’s not a bad vocal performance, but it makes the listener think, well, “why?” 

 While Mystikos Quintet aren’t exactly St. Germaine, they exist in the same cool, laid back blue area. The album rolls on and the vibe continues is the same manor until the ante is upped on the trippy “Golden Gate”, which also has vocals, but this time they seem more like samples than a live performance. This helps keep the sound fresh and make the band sound like they’re on the edge and not the backburner of the sound they are working at. As it draws to a close, the group visits a more Eastern influence sound and they Quintet drops the album best and most entertaining track of The Second Album, “One Night at the Egyptian”. With this track, the potential for the band’s sound seems endless. While Mystikos Quintet’s The Second Album does not redefine anything, it pushes at the borders from within.


Local musician Greg Rode has finally delivered his second album under his Mystikos Quintet moniker. And again, he shows why he is one of Indy’s most talented and inventive musical artists. The Second Record Album consists of twelve songs of jazzy electronica/techno, superbly crafted and executed. Relying both on live musicians and sampled pieces recorded with these musicians, Rode fashions a superbly funky and warm vibe that both soothes and uplifts simultaneously. Album opener “Heat Is Not Made Of Tiny Hot Things” (great title) starts with a hi-hat beat, chicken-scratch guitar, a funky bass line, and then settles into a nice subtle drum groove. After the groove is established, keyboards and horns come in over the top to provide the hooks and melodies. “Empty Chicago” follows in a Deodato-like vein, with beautiful flute and Wes Montgomery-like guitar improvisations providing wonderful highlights. The album continues, throwing in Jimmy Smith style keyboards, wah-wah guitars, trumpet, flugelhorn, and more flute licks, and whatever else Rode needs to get his groove going (even handclaps). For change-ups, there are a few vocal parts, and track 10 has a nice middle-eastern flavor to it. Throughout, Rode provides keyboard work that is varied from song to song, sounding like a number of different players rather than the stylings of one man. Recorded in Broad Ripple at the Devil’s Workshop, the sound quality is superb and the overall feel never relents. Word has it that Rode is working on putting together a live show. Keep your eyes peeled. For now, this wonderful disc will have to suffice.

I liked the first Mystikos effort but this second album is definitely better and has a very honest feel to it. Not that the first effort was crooked. I do however like the first album's cover art better. Whomever is putting the music together is a raging genius. Kudos and give us more.