Orbiting Human Circus, the enchanting combination bringing to life Julian Koster’s dreamlike music and storytelling, are thrilled to present, in full, Quartet Plus Two, their debut album. Highlighting the album’s transformational take on classic jazz compositions is “Let’s Face the Music,” Irving Berlin’s wistful showstopper that Koster, aided by North and Romika the singing saws, casts in an ethereal light—music to dance to under the moon rather than on a soundstage. Listen to Quartet Plus Two wherever you stream music, and pick up a copy on CD, LP, or limited edition natural & pink swirl vinyl in the Merge store!

“Let’s Face the Music” manages to feel widescreen and intimate, Koster’s vocals reaching out to a dance partner while his bandmates—Gauvain Gamon (bass), Kolja Gjoni (drums), Benji Miller (piano), Robbie Cucchiaro (horns), Thomas Hughes (orchestral chimes), North, and Romika—play irresistibly, guiding Julian, and the listener, to the heart of the song. 

It’s a spell Koster and Orbiting Human Circus weave throughout Quartet Plus Two, which also includes three original compositions by Koster that further showcase his keen instinct for jazz. It’s one more facet to the jewel that is Julian Koster’s creative universe, which incorporates music, storytelling, podcasting, and performance art into a kaleidoscopic whole. It makes sense when you hear or see it, but is impossible to pin down—just when you think you have, he evolves again.