Guitars, synthesizers, piano, drums, beats, congas, bells, rattles, trumpets, gongs, granite blocks, electronics, and for the first time for Innercity Ensemble – even some vocals.

Among the members of Innercity Ensemble are people known from other locally and internationally acclaimed squads: Alameda, Stara Rzeka and Kapital. Their latest album, “IV“, came out just a week ago on the Instant Classic label, and it’s a very different wotk from their previous, mostly improvised efforts (check out our Best of 2014 for a taste of their earlier approach).

Listening to “IV”, the first thing long time fans will notice is its lavish production, as for this album Innercity Ensemble decided “to focus more on the post-production, including edits, overdubs and remixes.” Another surprise is hearing vocals of Jakub Ziołek in some of the tracks – up until now Innercity Ensemble was an instrumental band.

Both novelties are welcome, taking the band’s music even further from any particular genre. Take the 7-minute single “The Great Meadows of Kuyavia” as an example. It might make you thinking about Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes or Grizzly Bear, but you mind find these suggestions completely ridiculous.

How about the second track on this release, “Massif in the Sand”? Was it inspired by Tuareg music, like the title suggests? Or equally by traditional music from East Asia? Well, most probably there was a dozen other things behind it.

If you listen closely, this confusion should keep you company up until the very last track, vividly titled “Extraterrestrial Antifascist Soup”.

Stream “IV” LP on Bandcamp and YouTube.

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Innercity Ensemble on Facebook.