Future3 embrace uncertainty on debut LP Despite the Rumbling
Words: Jon Iliffe
Berlin-based future jazz trio Future3 arrive with a compelling debut statement on Jazzego Records, as Despite the Rumbling lands on vinyl and digital platforms following a growing reputation on Europe’s contemporary jazz circuit.
Made up of Irina (keys/synths), Miguel (bass/synth) and Rodrigo (drums), Future3 occupy a space where jazz, electronics and improvisation intersect. Their music draws on everything from spiritual and progressive jazz through to ambient electronics, modular synthesis and groove-led experimentation, resulting in compositions that constantly evolve without losing their melodic core.
Rather than offering escapism, Despite the Rumbling acknowledges the turbulence of modern life. The album reflects on themes including community, capitalism, AI, streaming culture and the realities of sustaining a creative practice, while remaining rooted in the simple act of musicians sharing a room and responding to one another in real time.
That live energy sits at the heart of the record. Recorded at Butterama Recording Center in Berlin with Daniel Nentwig and Freddy Corazzini, the trio deliberately preserved the spontaneity of performance, embracing imperfections and allowing the atmosphere of each session to shape the finished music. The result feels organic and immediate, balancing intricate arrangements with moments of genuine discovery.
The record is further enriched by a series of thoughtful collaborations. Flautist Jamichael Frazier appears on the breezy “Breeze on the Menu”, trumpeter Kelly O’Donohue features on both “Grace” and “Flares”, while vocalist and artist Kota No Uta plays a pivotal role on the shape-shifting “Mystic Sheep”, contributing in a way that ultimately blurred the lines between guest appearance, co-writing and co-production.
While the instrumentation features Fender Rhodes, acoustic piano, Minimoog, Korg MS-20, digital sampling and granular synthesis, the album never feels driven by technology alone. Instead, those textures sit comfortably alongside the group’s improvisational instincts, recalling influences such as Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Sun Ra, Afrofuturism and psychedelic jazz without ever becoming derivative.
Following their debut Places EP and the acclaimed single “No Slip”—which earned support from broadcasters including NTS Radio and Worldwide FM—Future3 have steadily built a reputation through performances across Germany, Austria, Denmark, Portugal, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland. Despite the Rumbling feels like the natural culmination of that live development, capturing a band whose identity has become increasingly confident while remaining open to exploration.
Released via Jazzego Records, Despite the Rumbling is an impressive debut that finds optimism amid uncertainty, demonstrating how contemporary jazz continues to evolve by embracing collaboration, curiosity and fearless experimentation.
Released via Jazzego Records, Despite the Rumbling is an impressive debut that finds optimism amid uncertainty, demonstrating how contemporary jazz continues to evolve by embracing collaboration, curiosity and fearless experimentation.
Future3 – Despite the Rumbling is out now on Jazzego Records on vinyl and digital formats. Click here to listen, stream and buy.
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