I live in a beautiful time and place for heavy psych. It’s clear that the genre, and specifically several trios/quartets that are active right now, will be the immediate future of psych rock in a major way. Of all those bands I think Kanaan may be my favorite. At the very least I think they’re undervalued even as success continues to find them.

Kanaan sits perfectly at the improvisational intersection of jazz and space rock and heavy psych and all these things with such unique grace that they’re nearly a genre unto themselves. If refining and communicating a singular sonic vision could be said to be any musician’s goal, I find Downpour to be their most detailed and definitive studio statement yet.

It starts with an explosive opening that has incredible textures matched with shocking aggression and athleticism. The second track sets the pace with a more sustainable groove used as the foundation for a gorgeous bluesy-but-jazz-fusion piece. The feature from guitarist Hedvid Mollestad here more than makes sense- it almost seems inevitable. The album somehow continues this quality through all kinds of groovy, stones, and spacious excursions through jazz and rock right through the last track- the 14 minute Solaris. This is one of the finest listens I had in 2023. More than almost any jazz or psych record that or any year it satisfies everything I could want from improvisational fusion music with complete authenticity in every aspect, in just 40 minutes. Well done Kanaan.