The Quiet Temple, "The Last Opium Den (on Earth)" (Wichita Recordings)

Led by Soulsaver member Rich Machin and Duke Garwood, the Quiet Temple boast a stunning rotating lineup featuring members of Spiritualized, Stereolab, and Julian Cope's band: Ray Dickaty, Tim Lewis (aka Thighpaulsandra), Pete Marsh, Paul May, and Doggen. Even better, Machin and Duke Garwood say that their new self-titled debut album was inspired by three spiritual-jazz masterpieces: Larry Young's Lawrence of Newark, Marcus Belgrave's Gemini, and Noah Howard's The Black Ark. The twist? As Machin explains: "We both shared a similar kind of thought process in that we wanted to de-jazz some of that stuff and almost approach it from more of a Velvet Underground angle." They also call The Quiet Temple "experimental cosmic-psyche-jazz-Krautrock-post-punk-dub record," which ticks damn near every box in my blessed wheelhouse. Hallelujah!

To these ears, though, the six low-lit, stealthy tracks here actually sound more like the Heliocentrics in a mellow mood and Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, but minus Mark Hollis's vocals. The Quiet Temple is yet another jewel in the crown of England's revitalized jazz-/fusion scene—though the band's creative core would not like you to call it "jazz."

The track on The Quiet Temple that really grips me is "The Last Opium Den (on Earth)," because it comes off like a low-key tribute to one of my favorite compositions of all time: Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane's "Earth." The bass and saxophone interplay mirrors Charlie Haden and Henderson's woozily undulating rhythm and melody from that piece on 1974's The Elements, buffing the template into a mantra of regal beauty. "The Last Opium Den (on Earth)" totally lives up to its title. Listen and get hook(ah)ed for life.