An Album a Day #2026-22

As a certified Snarky Puppy fan, I'm always on the lookout for new music from band members. Given how large the band is, and how active the members are with other projects, there's always something new to listen to.

The most recent project, Elipsis, bring together Snarky Puppy's band leader and bass player Michael League with Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martínez and Mexican drummer Antonio Sanchez. The result is some truly unique and eclectic music that weaves together Afro-cuban percussion, Yoruban chants, and jazz fusion.

The album is full of polyrhythm. I wouldn't call it funky (although "Variant" almost gets us there), but it is undeniably groovy. League's synthesizers add plenty of interesting texture. There really isn't a dull moment on the record. If I have one criticism, it's that all of the songs follow a similar dynamic pattern: the epic build. That's fine.

My favorite song is "Suuru" and not just because the song title is a five letter word with three u's in it. It's one of the more accessible songs on the record, with the clearest harmony and melody. It's also got some of the best bass and synth work, in my opinion. Not to mention a couple of wonderful tempo changes. It breaks the epic build pattern. That's nice.

If you like synthesizers and latin percussion, there's a lot to love on Elipsis.

Listen

What is "An Album a Day"?

Each day in 2026, I'm listening to an album that:

1. I've never heard before
2. Was released in the last six months (from the time of listening)