Cats, Dogs, and Dwarfs by midi 4

As we remember them in America, Central European folk stories end with a happily ever after, dishing out comical punishments to wrongdoers to help kids grasp the foundations of right and wrong. However, Central Europeans themselves remember these stories very differently, where mild mischief is met with absurd retaliation and a deep forest of menacing mystery lurks just outside at all times. Exhibiting this second viewpoint, Polish jazz experimentalists MIDI 4 released their new record Cats, Dogs, and Dwarves, a celebration of the tales that serve as some of children’s earliest exposure to Polish culture. The whimsy that Americans expect does appear here, but the wild, fun, riffy solos that give this record a childlike flair only constitute part of its sound. On the other hand, a few more somber themes appear in pre-prepared unison sections, and a collection of deeply atmospheric ambient moments dial this seriousness up even further. Most importantly, the album ends in a decidedly European fashion, leading us to a heartbreaking epilogue that concludes the story on an ambiguous cliffhanger, rich with sentimentality, appreciation, and a heavy dose of sorrow at the divine punishment no doubt being levied on the characters.

- Michael