Szun Waves

Szun Waves is a supergroup of sorts within the UK's experimental and electronic scenes, consisting of Luke Abbott (modular synth), Jack Wyllie of Portico Quartet (saxophone), and Laurence Pike of PVT (drums). Formed in 2016, the trio occupies a unique space between the spiritual jazz tradition of Alice Coltrane and the kosmische electronics of the 1970s.

Their methodology centers on live, unedited improvisations, often recorded in resonant spaces like James Holden's Sacred Walls studio. This approach preserves the 'performance' aspect of electronic music, which is frequently lost in studio-bound production. Critically, they are lauded for bridging the gap between the London jazz explosion and the modular synth revival. Their evolution from 'At Sacred Walls' to 'Earth Patterns' shows an increasing sophistication in how they blend Pike's polyrhythmic drumming with Wyllie's ethereal horn textures and Abbott's generative synth patches. They are a central node in a network of artists including James Holden, Craven Faults, and Floating Points, representing a modern British psychedelic movement that is both cerebral and deeply spiritual.