Nik Bärtsch's Ronin

On his previous ECM releases, Swiss pianist Bartsch and his "Zen funk" band Ronin have served up hypnotic interlocking funk grooves that draw upon minimalism, techno and glitchy electronica, sheathed in an deceptively icy veneer. Awase—the band's first release in six years—features a trim quartet lineup that allows newfound flexibility in Bartsch's slow-burn approach.