Convention would call Hear In Now a string group, but the trio boldly defies any of the standard tropes associated with the term. There is nothing small nor fragile about their sound. They groove ferociously. They produce sufficient bulk in the low end to occasionally suggest the presence of a kick drum, and, certainly, when double-bassist Silvia Bolognesi strums chords there is a fantastically viscose quality in the ensemble that heightens the impact of the songs. Like some of the most interesting exponents of the same instruments who have preceded them, be it Leroy Jenkins, Abdul Wadud or Joelle Leandre, the members of Hear In Now move seamlessly between lush, almost étude-like grace and jabbing, juddering movement. Adding to the overall drama of the arrangements are the air raid rises and falls of pitch and a deep folk sensibility that evokes anything from country blues to Balkan ballad. Although the trio thrives on wry and intricate arrangements they have an irresistible melodic immediacy on occasion, none more so than on the title track, a rousing stomp with a ‘people hold on’ lead vocal by Dee Alexander, which is topical to say the least.