By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – NEW YORK, The avant-garde jazz landscape is bracing for another seismic shift as Irreversible Entanglements, the boundary-pushing quintet led by the visionary Camae Ayewa, has officially pulled back the curtain on their next major project. Titled Future Present Past, the album is scheduled for a global release on March 27 via the legendary Impulse! Records. This announcement comes as a thrilling development for followers of the collective, arriving less than two years after their critically acclaimed 2023 effort, Protect Your Light. By returning to the studio so swiftly, the group signals a period of intense creative fertility, further solidifying their position as one of the most vital voices in contemporary experimental music.
Irreversible Entanglements is far more than a standard jazz ensemble; they are a sonic collective dedicated to the exploration of liberation, history, and the intersection of spoken word and improvisational "fire music." The group’s core remains unchanged, featuring a powerhouse lineup of musicians who have each made significant marks on the independent music scene. Led by Ayewa—who is widely known by her performance moniker Moor Mother—the quintet includes bassist Luke Stewart, trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, saxophonist Keir Neuringer, and drummer Tcheser Holmes. Together, they have forged a sound that is as much about social consciousness and poetic urgency as it is about melodic or rhythmic innovation.
The new record, Future Present Past, appears to be a deep dive into the fluidity of time, a theme that has often bubbled beneath the surface of Ayewa’s lyrics. To bring this vision to life, the band has enlisted a select group of collaborators who bring fresh textures to their established sound. Most notably, the album features contributions from the versatile Helado Negro (Roberto Carlos Lange) and the New York-based vocalist Motherboard (also known as Kyle Kidd). These guests appear on multiple tracks, suggesting a more expansive, perhaps more layered approach to the group’s traditional free-jazz foundations.
To give fans a taste of the upcoming odyssey, the band has released two lead singles: “Don’t Lose Your Head” and “Vibrate Higher.” Both tracks prominently feature Motherboard, whose vocal presence provides a soulful, ethereal counterpoint to the band’s dense instrumental interplay. “Don’t Lose Your Head” serves as a rhythmic anchor, showcasing the tight-knit communication between Stewart’s grounding basslines and Holmes’ polyrhythmic percussion. Meanwhile, “Vibrate Higher” leans into the spiritual jazz tradition, allowing Neuringer and Navarro to weave intricate, soaring lines around Ayewa’s commanding vocal delivery. The inclusion of Motherboard on these tracks suggests that Future Present Past may lean further into vocal harmonies and melodic structures than some of the band’s earlier, more dissonant works.
The technical side of the record is equally impressive. Future Present Past was engineered by Jonathan Schenke, a figure well-regarded for his work with artists who balance grit with clarity. The mixing was handled by Andrew Lappin, ensuring that the complex, often chaotic layers of a free-jazz quintet are rendered with the precision necessary for modern high-fidelity listening. This attention to sonic detail is crucial for a band like Irreversible Entanglements, where the emotional weight of a whispered line from Ayewa must carry as much impact as a thunderous collective crescendo from the horns.
The move to Impulse! Records for their previous album and this upcoming release marks a significant milestone in the band’s career. Impulse! is a label synonymous with the "new thing" in jazz, having served as the home for John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Alice Coltrane during the 1960s and 70s. For Irreversible Entanglements to be part of this roster is a fitting acknowledgment of their lineage. They are the modern torchbearers of a tradition that views jazz not as a museum piece, but as a living, breathing tool for radical expression and communal healing.
Looking back at their 2023 release, Protect Your Light, it is clear why the group has garnered such momentum. That album was a fixture on year-end lists, including being named one of the 30 Best Jazz and Experimental Albums of 2023 by Pitchfork. It was praised for its balance of aggressive improvisation and moments of profound beauty. Future Present Past seems poised to build upon that foundation, perhaps taking the "future" element of its title literally by incorporating more electronic textures or diverse vocal arrangements, as hinted at by the presence of Helado Negro.
The tracklist for Future Present Past reveals a ten-song journey that spans a variety of themes. Opening with “Juntos Vencemos,” featuring Helado Negro, the album immediately establishes an internationalist, collaborative tone. Songs like “Panamanian Fight Song” likely draw on the heritage of trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, while titles such as “The Messenger” and “The Spirit Moves” suggest a continuation of the group’s interest in spiritualism and the oral traditions of the African diaspora. The album concludes with “We Overcome,” another collaboration with Helado Negro, promising a bookended experience that moves from struggle to triumph.
The members of Irreversible Entanglements each bring a unique pedigree to the group. Luke Stewart is a ubiquitous figure in the Brooklyn and D.C. jazz scenes, known for his work with the James Brandon Lewis Trio and his tireless advocacy for the music. Keir Neuringer brings a background in both composition and activism, often utilizing his saxophone as a tool for protest. The duo of Aquiles Navarro and Tcheser Holmes has released their own electronic-tinged jazz projects, bringing a modern, danceable energy to the quintet’s rhythm section. At the center of it all is Ayewa, whose work as Moor Mother has redefined what it means to be a poet in the 21st century. Her ability to synthesize history, science fiction, and the harsh realities of the present into a cohesive lyrical narrative is the engine that drives the band forward.
The genesis of Irreversible Entanglements dates back to 2015, when the members first performed together at a Musicians Against Police Violence event in Brooklyn. That origin story remains central to their identity. They did not come together to play standards or to fit into the commercial jazz mold; they formed as a response to the world around them. This sense of purpose is palpable in every note they play. As they prepare to release Future Present Past, that mission feels more urgent than ever. In a world characterized by rapid change and historical amnesia, a title like Future Present Past serves as a reminder that these three states of being are inextricably linked.
As the March 27 release date approaches, the anticipation within the global jazz community continues to build. Irreversible Entanglements has proven time and again that they are incapable of making a boring record. With the support of Impulse! and a suite of talented guest artists, Future Present Past is shaping up to be one of the definitive musical statements of the year. It is an invitation to listen closely, to feel deeply, and to recognize that the music of the future is always rooted in the echoes of the past.
The full tracklist for Future Present Past is as follows:
01 Juntos Vencemos [feat. Helado Negro]
02 Don’t Lose Your Head [feat. Motherboard]
03 Vibrate Higher [feat. Motherboard]
04 Panamanian Fight Song
05 We Know [feat. Motherboard]
06 Hold On [feat. Motherboard]
07 Keep Going [feat. Motherboard]
08 The Messenger
09 The Spirit Moves
10 We Overcome [feat. Helado Negro]
With the arrival of this new chapter, Irreversible Entanglements continues to challenge the boundaries of what a jazz ensemble can be, proving that the most revolutionary music is often that which refuses to stay in one time or place. Fans can expect a rigorous touring schedule to follow the release, as the band’s live performances are legendary for their intensity and transformative power. For now, the singles “Don’t Lose Your Head” and “Vibrate Higher” offer a compelling window into the next phase of this extraordinary quintet’s evolution.