The Swedish Berlin-based Petter Eldh is as inventive as he is prolific. He’s a genre-busting adventurer, more known as a double bassist but in addition he is a significant producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist. This is his Koma Saxo band’s second CD. Koma West is released on Finnish label We Jazz following last year’s electronica-inspired, production- driven Projekt Drums Volume 1 release, a testament to his versatility. Koma West, three saxes, bass and drums, is augmented on the new recording by a micro-strings section with additional piano and accordion. The fresh energy though is provided by the Ethiopian-Swedish vocalist Sofia Jernberg, of the Scandi Fire! Orchestra, who contributes, among a few Swedish language verses, a commanding wordless vocal that’s utilised as a melody instrument. The softening of the band sound compared to the boisterous self-titled debut owes something to the inspiration for the new album that’s drawn from Eldh’s love for the scenic west coast of Sweden. As a consequence, Eldh’s arrangements are pastoral-toned and quirkily folky in places, though the exuberant character of the writing ensures it’s anything but serene. Eldh is texturally and sonically inventive as an arranger occasionally recalling expansive pop-rock bands such as The Guillemots or Prefab Sprout while the tracks are chock full of ear-worm themes with Frank Zappa and Django Bates at times coming to mind - the township-inspired ‘Koma Fred’ has the spirit of the latter, his former mentor, and is one of the CD’s highlights.