The Comet Is Coming: London's Propulsive Jazz Fusion Trio

The Comet Is Coming is a British electronic jazz trio known for their intense, genre-blending sound. Formed in London, the group has achieved critical acclaim, notably receiving a Mercury Prize nomination for their 2019 album Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery.

Early career

The band coalesced in London around 2013 from the meeting of saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, keyboardist Dan Leavers (Danalogue), and drummer Max Hallett (Betamax). Their initial collaboration was under the alias Soccer96, with Hutchings joining for a transformative live session that forged their signature cosmic sound. Their early work was released through independent channels, leading to their 2015 debut EP Prophet on the Leaf Label.

Breakthrough

The Comet Is Coming's breakthrough arrived with their 2016 debut album Channel the Spirits on the Impulse! label, the historic jazz imprint. The record won widespread praise for its frenetic energy and won the 2016 Album of the Year award at the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards. This success established them as a leading force in the UK's revitalized jazz scene.

Key tracks

Summon the Fire — This explosive single from their second album captures the trio's raw power and became a definitive live anthem.

Start Running — The opening track from their debut album immediately announces their urgent, apocalyptic fusion of jazz and electronica.

Blood of the Past — Featuring spoken word from Kate Tempest, this track from Trust in the Lifeforce... highlights their collaborative depth and socio-political consciousness.

Atomic Wave Dance — A prime example of their ability to craft hypnotic, dancefloor-ready rhythms within a jazz framework.

The trio's momentum continued with their 2019 Mercury Prize nomination, solidifying their position. Their third studio album, Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam, arrived in 2022, further exploring psychedelic and spiritual themes. They have collaborated with artists like Floating Points and shared stages with major acts such as Radiohead.

Fans of The Comet Is Coming's kinetic sound also explore Sons Of Kemet, which shares member Shabaka Hutchings and a percussive, politically charged intensity. The spiritual jazz explorations of Yussef Dayes offer a parallel in drumming-led improvisation. The electronic fusion of GoGo Penguin presents another instrumental trio pushing acoustic boundaries. For the avant-garde edge, The End delivers a similarly uncompromising and atmospheric approach.

The music of The Comet Is Coming is featured in rotation on forward-thinking online radio streams and independent music radio stations that specialize in modern jazz and alternative electronic sounds. Their tracks are staples on channels dedicated to cutting-edge instrumental music and genre-defying artists.

Listeners can discover the propulsive music of The Comet Is Coming through the curated playlists of radio stations available on onairium.com, where their genre-fusing albums are regularly broadcast.