The Invisible Astro Healing Rhythm Quartet play a refined brand of cosmic, spiritual jazz, with harmonic, intertwining horns riding on top of strong, steady grooves which are heavily inspired by Ethiopian artists such as
Mulatu Astatke. Their second album starts out amorphous and free, but once the beat kicks in, it stays locked, and the group remains tuned in and concentrated. "Praise Two" seems to incorporate a trace of country influence (probably inescapable, since the group hails from Bakersfield), with an ambling, friendly rhythm and slightly twangy guitars in the beginning, but it takes off into the stratosphere with careening horns during its second half. The deep, angular Ethio-funk of "Headways" is the album's most scorching cut, criss-crossing horns with simmering wah-wah guitar and sizzling organ. The slow, trippy "Cosmic Loneliness" adds plenty of spacy delay, providing a sense that things could potentially slip off track, but the band keep to their woozy rhythm until the last drop.
The Quartet sound tight and inspired throughout the entire album, and they excel at evoking vintage sounds while establishing their own. ~ Paul Simpson
