Okvsho – Frozen Flashes: Sophisticated, yet effortless

Sometimes Instagram gets it exactly right. Among all the things it suggests, a band appeared that I hadn’t heard of before: Okvsho. A short musical excerpt, and I thought: hey, this is really cool. So I looked them up, listened further and discovered that a new album had come out in September. “Frozen Flashes”. I decided to give it a proper listen.

Ever since, I’ve been trying to describe this music. It certainly has a jazzy feel. You could call it nu jazz or modern jazz, although I can almost sense some people switching off at the word jazz. Too complicated, too demanding, something you have to work your way into. I can understand that. There is music where I admire the musicians’ abilities but eventually find I’ve had enough.

With Okvsho, it’s different. There is an incredible amount going on, yet I find it very easy to get into. The music has something of a jam session about it: musicians responding to one another and passing new ideas back and forth. What draws me in most is the rhythm, the wind instruments and the interplay, with little details constantly appearing somewhere.

Two brothers from Zurich and an unusual name

Behind Okvsho are brothers Christoph and Georg Kiss from Zurich. Their musical roots lie in beatmaking and electronic music; over the years, that has developed into a close relationship with jazz and collective improvisation. Their story includes the early EP “Traphouse Jazz”, the album “Kamala’s Danz” and, later, “A Place Between Us”. On stage, the duo expands into a band under the name Okvsho +experience.

I had to take a closer look at the name, too. Okvsho – pronounced roughly “Okusho”. Naturally, I wanted to know the story behind it. So far, though, I haven’t found a reliably documented explanation of its origins. An unusual name that certainly makes you look twice.

One detail in their story feels particularly fitting: their father worked in a hi-fi shop. A substantial sound system and music on CDs were part of their home. For someone like me, who enjoys sitting in front of his system and discovering music, that is a lovely connection. Later, a Steam Down jam session in London also helped inspire them to pursue playing and improvising together. Those two worlds – an interest in sound and spontaneous musical interaction – fit well with what interests me about this record.

When a session becomes an album

“Frozen Flashes” was released on 18 September 2026. The way it was made explains quite a bit about my listening experience: musicians recorded sessions together in Zurich and London. The brothers then returned to that material. They sampled individual passages, cut, edited and rearranged them. The album’s nine tracks grew out of that process. Music played together in the room acquired its final shape through further production work.

The title fits: “Frozen Flashes” captures those brief musical ideas that can hardly be planned. A rhythm, an unexpected turn, a moment when something suddenly clicks. What might last only seconds during a session is preserved and developed further.

To me, it’s a little like a good kitchen. The ingredients are there, and the craft is sound. But then someone goes that final step: adjusts something a little more precisely, adds a small touch and gives the whole thing its finesse. That’s how I hear the arrangements on this record. There is plenty to discover without the music overwhelming me.

Voices and guests you may already know

Voices are part of it, too. “Pluto” features Azekel, a Nigerian-born singer and producer based in East London. His voice might already be familiar, even if his name isn’t: he has appeared on Massive Attack’s “Ritual Spirit” and Gorillaz’s “Momentz”, among others. Okvsho don’t have a permanent lead singer, but they have worked with guest voices on earlier releases as well.

Other guests on “Frozen Flashes” include German beat producer FloFilz and Zurich musician and producer Melodiesinfonie on “sl.wm.ed.”. London saxophonist and flautist Tenderlonious appears on “Roottree”, while Hadēl features on “La Joconde”. Different musical backgrounds meet here; the guest list certainly isn’t made up of singers alone.

A record that rewards close listening

And then, of course, there is the sound. This record gives me a great deal of pleasure on my system. The rhythmic detail, the wind instruments and all the small touches in the arrangements invite closer listening. On Tidal, the tracks are displayed as 24-bit, 96 kHz FLAC. Those numbers alone don’t tell you how good a production sounds. My listening impression here, though, is clear: this is exceptionally well done.

That makes “Frozen Flashes” a recommendation for my audiophile friends, too. For those who enjoy sitting in front of their systems and hearing everything a recording contains. Anyone who enjoys musical intricacy and small details will find plenty here.

At the same time, I’ve found that the album works while I’m doing other things. I don’t have to sit down and concentrate on every turn each time. I can simply let it play and enjoy the sound. When I listen more closely, it opens up further. That sense of ease is something I also like about other Okvsho releases.