Zagreus by Atlas Maior

Zagreus, Atlas Maior’s 1st single from 2023’s upcoming album Hadal is an intense, and expansive improvised piece rooted and anchored within a 9/8 Turkish karslima rhythm performed by drummer Stefan Del Bosque. Musicians Joshua Thomson, Josh Peters, Aaron Parks, and Tarik Hassan weave experimental textures, initially drawing from minimalist instrumental approaches (oud, alto saxophone, double bass, drums), which ultimately unravel like the wildly unpeeling of a tart mandarin orange. Zagreus forges ahigh energy, aural tapestry through compositional dialogue between each of the five musicians.  

This improvisation was created from the imagined image of an expanding and dying universe, resulting in the creation of this personalized cosmological musical statement. Zagreus pays subtle homage to previous Atlas Maior songs “Red Dwarf Love Affair,” “Object or a Face,” & “Half-Pipe Blowhole” (Four Shades, Atlas Maior EP, Palindrome) in theme, while taking a completely different compositional approach which ultimately contributes to the expansion of the band’s growing 6 album catalogue. 

The title “Zagreus” is inspired by themes of the ancient Greek underworld, which has served as a metaphor for the group during the trying times of pandemic and the political and social unrest of these past two years. In addition, themes and imagery of “the hunter”, and “the hunted” drawn from Greek mythology have influenced the creation of Zagreus, as Atlas Maior questions its place within the larger context of the global community, as self-sustainability and global harmony appears to be increasingly more difficult.   

released October 14, 2022
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Atlas Maior makes original music informed by Jazz, Arab, Turkish and Latin American musical traditions.

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