I guess it's a law of inevitability that whenever you're really adamant on saving money and not visiting this show or not needing that limited edition vinyl, some luxury good you just cannot say no to comes along. Like this big beautiful four-LP box documenting the whole comeback double performance of The Kilimajaro Darkjazz Ensemble aka The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation on August 29th 2025 in the Lido, Berlin.
Since I had centered a whole musical weekend trip around this event and witnessed the quintet from the front row, this box set basically was pure catnip for me.
Since I had centered a whole musical weekend trip around this event and witnessed the quintet from the front row, this box set basically was pure catnip for me.
THE KILIMANJARO DARKJAZZ ENSEMBLE /
THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION - Live In Berlin
(4LP vinyl box) (2026)
In my live review I had seperated the two shows before and after a brief intermission, labeling one as a Kilimajaro and the other as a Mount Fuji performance, even though I wasn't sure about this attribution at all. And now with the whole tracklist at hand I can confirm that technically the whole night exlusively belonged to The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, since both sets were based on the main project's already existing material, especially from the albums "Here Be Dragons" (2009) and "From The Stairwell" (2011).
However there is an eery, nocturnal edge in the way the current line-up interprets the material, which feels more like the strictly improvisational music of The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation. So besides the obvious messaging that both incarnations of the group are back and available for future endeavours, it is also artistically warranted that this release wears both names on its cover without distinction.
I will admit that I am surely biased when I crown these more than two hours of Dark/Doomjazz immersion as the new holy grail of the group's work, but this excellently recorded mammoth release just gives you almost everything you could wish for inside the sonic cosmos Gideon Kiers (electronics, effects) and Jason Köhnen (bass, theremin) have established. A smooth blend of Ambient, slow motion Jazz, Dub, Doom, Drone, Post Rock, Classical and Folk music that feels like a wonderful soundtrack to countless escapist cinematic experiences spawning in your head.
Especially the far away mystically processed vocalizations of Charlotte Cegarra underline the dreamlike quality, while the versatile trombone and trumpet of Hilary Jeffery does so much more than I expected before experiencing this show. And adding a secong brass player for the encore with "The MacGuffin" and the closing "Reprise" is of course a worthy elevation of the finale.
Speaking of worthy: Everything comes in a solid slipcase with each of four records in its own sleeve. It looks great and the vinyl quality matches the looks.
The only thing which easily could have been done better is the A3 poster of a polaroid picture of the band taken in the Lido lobby. Instead of having to fold it this would have been way cooler presented as a vinyl-format square matte print. Other than that this box is pretty much perfect.
As an additional perk when ordering online (the few remaining copies are only available at recent and coming live shows!) you got a private YouTube link to the professional video recording of the whole show. Nice!
No doubt: As of now "Live In Berlin" immediately jumps right to the top of my (obviously work in progress) album of the year list. This is special.
However there is an eery, nocturnal edge in the way the current line-up interprets the material, which feels more like the strictly improvisational music of The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation. So besides the obvious messaging that both incarnations of the group are back and available for future endeavours, it is also artistically warranted that this release wears both names on its cover without distinction.
I will admit that I am surely biased when I crown these more than two hours of Dark/Doomjazz immersion as the new holy grail of the group's work, but this excellently recorded mammoth release just gives you almost everything you could wish for inside the sonic cosmos Gideon Kiers (electronics, effects) and Jason Köhnen (bass, theremin) have established. A smooth blend of Ambient, slow motion Jazz, Dub, Doom, Drone, Post Rock, Classical and Folk music that feels like a wonderful soundtrack to countless escapist cinematic experiences spawning in your head.
Especially the far away mystically processed vocalizations of Charlotte Cegarra underline the dreamlike quality, while the versatile trombone and trumpet of Hilary Jeffery does so much more than I expected before experiencing this show. And adding a secong brass player for the encore with "The MacGuffin" and the closing "Reprise" is of course a worthy elevation of the finale.
 |
| The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble / The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation |
Speaking of worthy: Everything comes in a solid slipcase with each of four records in its own sleeve. It looks great and the vinyl quality matches the looks.
The only thing which easily could have been done better is the A3 poster of a polaroid picture of the band taken in the Lido lobby. Instead of having to fold it this would have been way cooler presented as a vinyl-format square matte print. Other than that this box is pretty much perfect.
As an additional perk when ordering online (the few remaining copies are only available at recent and coming live shows!) you got a private YouTube link to the professional video recording of the whole show. Nice!
No doubt: As of now "Live In Berlin" immediately jumps right to the top of my (obviously work in progress) album of the year list. This is special.
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