Finnish bassist Antti Lotjonen returns in February 2023 with his second Quintet East album on We Jazz Records. With Verneri Pohjola on trumpet, Mikko Innanen and Jussi Kannaste on saxes, and Joonas Riippa on drums, Quintet East is a hard-hitting ensemble of Helsinki scene A-listers. The new release sees the quintet work with Lotjonen's inspired new music with remarkable spirit, spreading out on a quest for new sounds and ideas, and returning to base with a fresh batch of acoustic creative music, wild to the bone even when sounding completely in control.Circus/Citadel is essentially a coherent album, rather than a series of loosely connected compositions. There's plenty of diversity within Lotjonen's compositions and the band's dynamics, yet it all flows into one effortlessly, creating a suite of sorts, even outside of the title composition which consists of three parts. During the course of the album, the quintet often gets together in smaller formations: in trios and duos of different combinations of the players. The music breathes and maintains it's energy at all times, leaving plenty of headroom for the all-out quintet 'attacks' when needed. It all comes together in a shape that feels unified and cyclical, leaving the listener hungry for repeated listens in order to get deeper into the many layers found within.The artwork displays a freeform graphic score of the music by We Jazz artistic director and designer Matti Nives. The vinyl version is housed in a heavy duty tip-on sleeve with silver-embossed lettering.Antti Lotjonen says:'These compositions vary in terms of form and density, with each player having enough room to re-invent and expand on the music within the pieces. I wrote this music over a relatively brief time span. This, I think, is something you can also hear on the album, as the temporal closeness of the ideas brings with it a certain kind of unity. The world we live in sometimes feels like and absurd circus, from which you need to get away from to get new ideas and energy. Everyone needs their citadel, whatever it may be. This pairing of the two words Circus/Citadel is inspired by a poem by the Romanian-born German-language poet Paul Celan (1920-1970).'
Release date:
March 10, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Anthony Green Doom. Spun.
Born Losers Records
July 4, 2025 -
Between The Buried And Me The Blue Nowhere [4xLP]
Inside Out Music
September 12, 2025 -
Myles Smith Minute A Moment
Rca Victor Europe
July 25, 2025 -
Ben Nichols In the Heart of the Mountain
Liberty Lament
July 25, 2025 -
Prince Royce Eterno
Sony U.s. Latin
September 5, 2025 -
Belinda Carlisle Once Upon A Time In California (Sunset)
Demon / Edsel
August 29, 2025 -
Five Finger Death Punch Best Of - Volume 1 [2xLP]
Better Noise Music
July 18, 2025 -
Kingfishr Halcyon
Atlantic
August 22, 2025 -
DJ Haram Beside Myself (Fern Green)
Hyperdub Records
July 18, 2025 -
Bloc Party Silent Alarm (Box Set)
Pias America
September 26, 2025 -
Cardi B AM I THE DRAMA? (Amazon Exclusive)
Atlantic
September 19, 2025 -
Andrew Lloyd Webber SUNSET BLVD: The Album Nicole Scherzinger Edition [3xLP]
The Other Songs RecordsThe Other Songs R
September 5, 2025 -
Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous (Metallic Silver) [2xLP]
Friday Music Two
October 31, 2025 -
The Warriors Burn Yourself Alive
Pure Noise Records
September 26, 2025