While some might dub the band as part of the new wave of prog jazz don’t let that put you off. Troyka – laconic guitarist Chris Montague, organ boffin Kit Downes and fresh faced drummer Joshua Blackmore – have been something of a well kept secret on the ever expanding young UK jazz scene until now. They’re less King Crimson than a knowing micro-synthesis of where John McLaughlin might have headed when the steam finally ran out of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Canterbury proggers, Egg. The new album was recorded over three days last October and in April at Harder Studios in London and comes out on Cardiff-based Edition records.

Of the 11 tunes, eight were written by guitarist Montague while the remaining three were written by the hirsute Downes. Produced by Troyka the album opens with the drums of Blackmore on the crafty ‘Tax Return’ and with syncopated menace, darkly dystopian sequences ahead culminating at last after quite a journey with the aptly titled ‘Zeitgeist’, the album is sure to grab the attention of the new wave of UK jazzers.

Troyka play the Vortex on 30 June followed by dates at Dempsey’s in Cardiff on 21 July and the Yardbird, Birmingham on 23 July with more dates in the autumn. For more go to www.myspace.com/troykaband