‘Shabason, Krgovich & Sage’ doesn’t quite roll off the tongue like ‘Crosby, Stills & Nash’, but this trio of fervid experimentalists nevertheless conspire to make something greater than a sum of parts. “Gloria” – the first piece off of upcoming joint album, conveniently titled Shabason, Krgovich, Sage – is indeed a glorious piece of music that is somehow both cosmic lamentation and campfire repose.
The best collaborations often have little to no overlap in each person’s skills and sensibilities, and “Gloria” attests to that theory. Shabason’s abstract sax soundscapes are grand and ethereal, whereas M. Sage’s meditations on the harmonica and field recordings feel tangible, grounded and human. Krgovich’s wryly melancholic, soothing ruminations, meanwhile, remind of the great Arthur Russell, homing in on both the random and the profound with impartial serenity.
Joseph Shabason, Matthew Sage, and Nicholas Krgovich kept in touch after the pandemic started – though living many miles apart, they have crafted a record of cohesion and closeness. “After connecting with Nick and Jos through DMs since 2020, it felt like a fun experience awaited us as potential collaborators,” Sage recounts. “I had built my barn studio, and I think it looked appealing to them to make an adventure out of coming to the Wild West to make music with me.”
Listen to “Gloria” below, and find the song on streaming outlets.
Shabason, Krgovich, Sage comes out on Idée Fixe Records on April 5, 2024.
