Floating World

Story has it that after listening to Jade Warrior's music, Steve Winwood convinced Chris Blackwell to sign the band to his Island Records. Now reduced to the core of Tony Duhig and Jon Field, the duo left most of their musical past behind, including vocals and any trace of psychedelia. On their 1974 release, Floating World, each track is presented as wide and cinematic in sound as it is descriptive in title. After the introductory "Clouds," "Mountain of Fruits and Flowers" emerges with a stirring bass line. "Waterfall" flows like a river, before descending into a cataclysm of conga drums. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, "Red Lotus" erupts with Duhig's heavily distorted guitar! The second side courses about the same as the first. "Rainflower" is a gentle guitar number, while the jazzy "Easty" adds rhythm underneath. "Monkey Chant" features Duhig's brother Dave on lead guitar and is another improbable (but welcome) heavy number. The plaintive "Memories of a Distant Sea" closes, briefly reprised on "Quba." Characterized by dynamics and world influences, Jade Warrior use their instruments like paintbrushes, yet never completely fill the canvas. And like the oriental-flavored album art, their music is both restive and contemplative, and generally avoids all clichés but their own. The duo also presage the instrumental "fourth world" and new age genre that would rise to some commercial prominence in the 1980s. Jade Warrior would release another three albums of much similar effect for Island before splitting up in 1979; and little would be heard from either musician during the 80s.