Zach Lucas

Featuring Zach Lucas on all instruments (saxophones, synthesizers, drum programming, percussion) as well as composing all songs therein, some might say Gelato is too much, where others wouldn't have an opinion whatsoever. It is difficult to know where the synths start and the saxophone ends, but there are also moments (like in the titular track "Gelato") where there is no doubt that Zach Lucas is a killer on the alto sax, whether using effects or not. More grounded tracks like "Squirty Tuesday" and "The Old Ways" exhibit flashy moments of soloing, but are still rooted in the groove-first mentality of the entire record, while spacier songs like "Slice" and "Enough Already" depart for weirder, synthesis-heavy destinations before coming home. Top to bottom, the album is like a well-thought-out after party (before the guests have arrived), but at the end of the day (or evening), Gelato sounds like fun, and doesn't take itself too seriously... though it does force the listener to ask some interesting questions, and maybe even smile, head nodding in that unconscious affirmative response to all deep grooves everywhere.