Isle Peaks by Bitchin Bajas

Review: Bitchin Bajas - Isle Peaks

Bitchin Bajas didn't break a ton of new ground in 2025, but they bolstered their foothold in the ambient and jazz worlds with Inland See and a second collaboration with Natural Information Society, Totality. These releases furthered their reliance on improvisation, with songs gradually building only to return to the peaceful soundscapes that inspired the trio. Hypnotic psychedelia has always been a focus, but it felt like the Bajas really perfected the art of sprawl making those albums. It's not surprising; the Chicago band cruised beyond their ambient-tinged early days after a collection of Sun Ra covers in 2021 and haven't looked back.

Having arrived at this new peak, the band recorded a pair of longform psychedelic jazz tracks exclusively for Qobuz. Sitting somewhere between the dreaded “EP" tag and a full-length album, Isle Peaks is an aptly named 26 minutes of cresting and tweaking encouraging playful discovery. “Ajami" begins with gorgeous kalimba and escalates into a full-on bonanza that airs out around 8 and a half minutes in. The second half of the track boils into a wild, electronic free-for-all before fading into oscillations.

The titular track builds from a bed of ambience: crickets chirp while the band, almost orchestrally, warms the organic noise with harp and organ. It's a preparation for the arrival of arpeggiated electronics that build to a peaceful but commanding crescendo around the 7-minute mark. The song, as so many of theirs do, fades into outer space as if the band is flying away into another galaxy where such delicate ephemera is crafted. What an honor it is to have traveled alongside them. © Jeff Laughlin/Qobuz