‘Spin’ is the 9th release of the band Nik Baertsch’s Ronin, since its foundation in 2001 and the first with the new bass player Jeremias Keller, who joined the band in 2020, the band still consists of the founding members pianist/composer Nik Bartsch and drummer Kaspar Rast and reeds player Sha who is part of the group since 2004.

Since their last release ‘Awase’ (ECM, 2018) the band has continuously developed the repertoire further in their weekly Monday concerts in EXIL club in Zurich. The new album therefore shows not only the newest developments like Modul 63 and Modul 66 but also a combination of new and old material in Modul 70_51 (51 recorded on the ECM album ‘Llyria’, 2010) and the two classics Modul 14 and Modul 23 in completely new arrangements and interpretations.

‘Spin’ shows the phase in which the band is now: looking back and forward at the same time. The Ronin rhythm culture based on pattern, cycle and groove developments with refined beats is still present, combined with playfulness and the consciousness for freedom within the clear structures. The band members’ ear for chamber music-like details, blending, ghost notes and micro phrasings refreshes the music live and on the record as always. What is new is a compact band sound, creating subtle alignments with indie, post rock and ambient pop. The direct groove energy in this new quartet with Jeremias Keller is obvious.

This album is nourished by the joy and energy the band developed in contact with a dedicated audience all over the world. Recorded by the band’s sound engineer Lars Dolle, produced with the local community and released independently, the album shows the true and original Ronin spirit with the full focus on music and its community. All music is played together live in the studio.

Originally characterised as zenfunk because of its combination of minimalistic emptiness and highly intensive groove, the band’s style now develops into a kind of nanofunk with even more refinement, details and nuances on the micro level of music making.

‘Spin’ is the 40th release of the label Ronin Rhythm Records, a platform for new creative music between new minimal, ambient, prog and ritual groove music.