Khmer was the leader debut of trumpeter Nils Petter Molvær, who has since earned ranks as a “nu-jazz” pioneer. Combining rock, ambient, dub, techno, and jazz, he and a group of technologically imaginative sound pushers ensure that every reverie finds the satisfaction of a breakbeat (and vice versa). Don’t let the above fool you, however, into thinking this is more about the medium than the message. The tasteful sampling in instant classics like “Tløn” and “Platonic Years” is proof positive of the curatorial spirit at work behind the scenes of an album that hits the ground running every time.

– Tyran Grillo