NOMO

Fronted by saxophonist and percussionist Elliot Bergman, NOMO is a six-plus-piece Afro-beat band that does much more than that genre tag might imply. Indeed, their array of named influences—Fela Kuti, M.I.A, Gang of Four,  Herbie Hancock, Talking Heads—and their arsenal of instruments—trumpets, keyboards, multiple saxophones, digital samplers, guitars, drums and a handful of handmade instruments like a synth noise box, a fuzz pedal, kalimbas and a brainwave monitor—mean that NOMO tends to avoid any one sound. They mesh avant-garde jazz, world music, futuristic funk, psychedelic rock and African rhythms into delightful webs of rhythm and brass 

Over the course of only a few albums, NOMO has swayed from a more traditional big-band jazz sound to an experimental jam/funk mien. All the Stars, from their 2008 album Ghost Rock, starts with fuzz and distorted keyboards, giving way to heavy percussion. The track repeats a marimba loop while horns sooth above a mesmeric groove. Meanwhile, "Brainwave" creates tension with a constant digital tone that is as piercing as it is enticing. Last year's Invisible Cities pushes the boundaries even further, building the braggadocio above tiny loops.

Musically, Nomo creates a feeling that can be as tranquilizing as it is motivating. Their aim seems to be to soften the listening experience while testing the outer limits of soft. The grooves can be somewhat passive, luring the listener into silent attention or into soft, dancing circles. Or, when the moment is right, they can be full-on frenzies. —Jedidiah Gant