Will Régnier has been a drummer in demand on the jazz scene for several years now, but Traces is his first recording as a leader (in quartet with Yannick Anctil on piano, Marcus Lowry on guitar and Alex Le Blanc on double bass). Placed somewhere between Nordic jazz and ambient prog rock (Lowry’s occasional “Robert-Frippian” aerial flights), Régnier’s sound world stands out for its sustained attention to the sober lyricism of the general discourse, supported by limpid themes or motifs. Rarely does Régnier venture into excessive dynamics, making Traces an opus generally drawn with fine impressionistic strokes, on a canvas fleshed out but rarely overloaded. In short, it’s a great listen, like the soundtrack to a busy but serene day’s work.
