lvdf is the thrilling new project from a quartet of forward-thinking players working at the cutting edge of contemporary jazz. Drummer and composer Myele Manzanza (New Zealand), pianist and synth soundscaper Maria Chiara Argirò (Italy), saxophonist Alex Hitchcock (UK), and double bassist Michelangelo Scandroglio (Italy) come together from across continents, each with their own distinct voice and rich catalogue of solo and collaborative work. All four are established bandleaders and collaborators in their own right, and the idea for the group first took shape during a workshop in the coastal Tuscan town of Follonica. That initial meeting of minds laid the groundwork for what became lvdf, which is short for La Via Del Ferro, or The Iron Way, a reference to the ancient Italian trade routes that connected local ironworks with the wider world, as the band explains:

“This metaphor of a road connecting a local industry to the wider world resonates deeply with us. Hailing from Italy, New Zealand, and the UK but residing in Paris, London, and New York, this music became a road that united us.”

Rooted in a shared love of rhythm and sonic experimentation, the group pulls from a wide spectrum of influences. After sell-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s and festival appearances in London and Bergamo, lvdf’s self-titled debut EP will be released on August 15 through Bridge The Gap. The upcoming EP “blends jazz traditions with modern production and a rhythm-driven focus”, as the press release describes, “balancing gorgeous melodies with complex, flowing polyrhythms and emotive soundscapes.”

Ahead of the EP’s release, they’ve recently shared their second single, ‘The Anchor’, an utterly gorgeous and groovy track built from the tail end of a collective improvisation. Speaking about the single, Manzanza comments:

“The Anchor is an edit drawn from a collective improvisation we did at the end of the recording session. Whilst we were all playing acoustic instruments, the reversed & reverbed saxophone created a beautiful flowing underwater texture that juxtaposed in an interesting way against the ‘Roots’-esque drums and bassline, and Maria’s looping piano pattern. Something that could be as much at home at an avant-garde performance at Cafe Oto as it could be in a Madlib beat tape.”

 ‘The Anchor’ is an exciting glimpse of what’s to come and you can listen to it below.