King Llama – Fata Implexis (TTrain Music, 2024)
Los Angeles-based progressive fusion band King Llama will be releasing their latest album, fata implexis (Latin for “fate intertwined”) on August 23, 2024. It features six tracks that traverse a variety of genres. Notably, The band is led by two highly talented musicians, guitarist Ryan Tanner Bailey and drummer Luis Briones.
The album opens with “Lora Ky,” a dynamic song that highlights the band’s intricate musicianship, including richly-detailed changes, complex guitar work and time signature changes, and diversified structures. This piece, crafted by guitarist-composer Ryan T. Bailey, sets the stage for the album’s tone, culminating in the multisectional 11-minute epic “Sir Isaac.”
Categorizing King Llama’s sound can be challenging. Drummer Luis Briones describes it as “experimental fusion-influenced jam band music,” while others may hear elements of progressive rock, post-fusion, and math rock. Regardless of the label, the band’s unique style brilliantly intertwines jazz-rock fusion, funk, progressive rock elements, and Latin American rhythms. It is complex music, prodigiously performed, yet accessible at the same time, and foreshadows a promising future for this outstanding band.
At the heart of King Llama is the collaboration between Bailey and Briones, who have been working together since the release of their debut album, Return to Ox, in 2016. Like many musicians, the band faced setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a period of reflection and composition. According to Bailey, he dedicated much of his time during the lockdown to creating new music, laying the groundwork for fata implexis.
In 2020, producer Dennis MacKay joined the project, bringing his extensive experience working with artists like Return to Forever, David Bowie, and Brand X. MacKay’s involvement introduced a more polished production quality to the album, incorporating melodic hooks and broader appeal. He also contributed to the songwriting and suggested revisiting some of Bailey’s older compositions, which led to the development of tracks like “Bus Stop” and “Level Z.”
Additionally, MacKay introduced young guitarist Billy Paulsen to the lineup, providing a new dimension to Bailey’s compositions. Bassist Anthony Crawford (Allan Holdsworth) delivers a solid foundation and impressive solos, while Brand X bassist Percy Jones adds his distinctive fretless bass to the album’s finely crafted, magnificent closing track, “Vita et Mors.”
“It’s a new era for us,” Briones indicates. “We’ve been around for over 12 years, but we’ve evolved. We used to be a little simple trio of more rock stuff, and our previous album really was much more bare bones. This new album is more produced, with featured players, multiple guitar lines, some strings and some other things. Things change. But the essence of everything is pretty much the same.”
Guests: Percy Jones (Brand X) on bass; Billy Paulsen on guitar; Dominique Xavier Taplin (Toto, Ghost Note) on keyboards; Nate Werth (Snarky Puppy, Ghost Note) on percussion; and Anthony Crawford on bass.