Xavi Reija Electric Quintet - 2026 - Nu Breed

(40:12; Moonjune Records)






















It has been well over a decade since drummer Xavi Reija last released an album under his Electric Quintet banner, experimenting with different styles and musicians in between, yet now we are back again. Of the musicians who played with him in the last incarnation, 2008’s ‘Ritual’, we still have his longtime sparring partner Dušan Jevtović (electric guitar) as well as Rafael Garcés (sax) and Bernat Hernández (bass guitar) with just one new boy, Tomàs Fosch (Fender Rhodes electric piano, Mini Moog) replacing Álvaro Gandul. Six of the tracks were composed by Xavi, one by Dušan, and one by the two of them together, and the original songs then gave the musicians a springboard to move and improvise together.

I have long been a fan of Xavi (and Dušan with his own releases) so it is always great to hear them working together as they have such a strong relationship that it is always a delight. The first time I played this I fell in love with the spontaneity and joy which comes from the speakers, as they channel the styles and moods of Bill Bruford and Miles Davis to create something which is fusion-based and exciting throughout. Of course there are different tempos to take us on journeys and provide contrasts, but it is music which is rooted in classic contemporary styles as XREQ push boundaries in a similar manner to those who came before. While keyboard-led excursions such as “We Keep Walking” may put the focus on Tomàs I discovered it was the rhythm section where the real magic was happening, with Dušan allowing himself to provide more of a stabilising and foundational role and Rafael providing the lift when the time is right.

This is an album I have enjoyed immensely, as although everyone is a master of their instrument they are always playing within themselves to ensure egos do not get ahead of themselves, and the result is a complex and complicated album which is somehow also light and exceedingly fresh indeed. 

Kev Rowland, July 2026

Links:
https://www.xavireija.es/
https://moonjune.com/

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