Album: Trichotomy, The Gentle War (Naim)

The post-EST piano trio sector is a crowded one and Australia's Trichotomy conform to type with a bright, rock-influenced sound that emphasises the equal interplay of bass and drums with Sean Foran's piano.

On this second Naim album (their fourth in total), the style is heard to best effect on the catchy opener "Chase". Thereafter, it's all nice enough (and niceness may be a problem) but it's hard to dispel a feeling of inevitability to the progression through floaty ballad, Bad Plus-style deconstruction, etc. They tour the UK next month.