<p><span><span>- Milton Man Gogh have their roots sown deep in Brisbane. A progressive jazz power-trio of local virtuosos whose conceptual satire serves as foil for cutthroat compositional chops. Following up 2019's <em>How to Be Big and Small (At the Same Time), </em>new EP <em>The Great Reset </em>gives a knowing nod to the years passed and the upending effect of a global pandemic on career artists.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>As the solo ventures of <strong>Ben Shannon</strong>, <strong>Andrew Saragossi</strong>, and <strong>Zac Sakrewski </strong>continue to take form, MMG has grown into a musical hydra, running rampant on the middle-ground of this stylistic convergence. <em>The Great Reset</em> presents a punchily sequenced update to the group's ambitions, replete with accompanying comic book and surrealist 'meta-narrative'. It's an ideal introduction for the uninitiated, barrelling through five explosive tracks in just under twenty-five minutes.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Writing duties are spread across the trio and Ben's up first with <em>3 Action Formula. </em>Sakrewski's angular bassline juts out to meet his compounded shuffle as they threaten to derail the tune. Saragossi's sax darts between, doubling the bass and soaring above it in delightfully overblown altissimo, crashing back down for a final inversion of the melody.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Andrew's emotive lyricism takes centre stage on the subsequent composition, <em>Youth is Wasted on the Young</em>. His precise intonation of the melody leads to a raucous mid-section where sputtering scale runs entwine with Ben's pointillistic percussion to enormous effect. Milton's collective focus on repetitive, almost iterative melodies highlights the trio's dynamic interplay as a pummelled cymbal or forceful honk draws you into the room.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>On the textural note, Sakrewski's accompanying chain of pedal effects brings yet another dimension to MMG's maximalist bent. He wields them wisely, picking moments to cast aside the jazzy facade and go full-digital. Zac's playing alternates between ruthless and ruminative, straddling this line perfectly on the closing title track, <em>The Great Reset</em>.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>The tune's first section sees Saragossi switch to clarinet and gradually ponder the tune as lumbering bass laps like waves onto shore. Shannon's mallets set the ascending horn awash in a sea of cymbals, joined by bowed bass. Part two opens in a galloping beat, an impending bassline pounds away as sax returns to blast out a boss-battle theme. Andrew steps back to let the rhythm section have at it, giving Zac space to whack his fancy gear on full blast in an electro-doom-metal blowout. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>It's outlandish stuff to find on a local release, let alone one with <em>The Great Reset's </em>undeniable single power. MMG haven't re-invented their sound with time away, but what's here is palpably distilled: a shared exploration of compositional idiosyncrasies and the joy of playing in the same room. Yet another solid project from three creative workhorses who have proven their passion time and time again; listeners take note.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Boddhi Farmer.</span></span></p>
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1531653279/size=large/bgcol=f…; seamless><a href="https://miltonmangogh.bandcamp.com/album/the-great-reset-2">The Great Reset by Milton Man Gogh</a></iframe>