Black Duck with Elena Setién is Chicago experimental trio Black Duck’s first release since their 2023 self-titled debut, a collaboration with Spanish-Basque singer and multi-instrumentalist Elena Setién, who the band first performed with on tour in Spain early last year. As something of an extension of the tour, the quartet decided to jump into the studio and hone its considerable improvisational and compositional skills.
Interestingly, recording engineer Nick Broste hit the record button after just a few hours of rehearsals, a move that captures the direct energy and spontaneity of the live shows. That’s not to say there aren’t tight structures and clear compositions here; the bright and vibrant Sunshine Unlimited is very much a Bill MacKay tune, with muscular major chords and electric guitar flexing matched by Douglas McComb’s sturdy bass. Elena’s input here is key, her piano notes bringing a lightness and unassuming confidence to some punchy playing.
Elena’s penchant for a bit of strange comes to the fore on I Am on the Other Side, an odd little sub-three-minute number that combines her electronically manipulated vocals with improvised guitar parts and Charles Rumback’s loose percussion. Clearer in structure is Elena’s Land of the Many Eyes, an arpeggiating piano-led number reminiscent of Juni Habel’s pastoral folk music, albeit with a more propulsive, adventurous narrative. Bill’s understated thick electric guitar notes are a joy here, as are Douglas’ spare yet pronounced bass notes.
The McCombs-penned Connects by Water comes out grinning, with some wicked little spikes of guitar accompanied by easy piano chords and a calm drum line by Charles. Elana’s dreamy, wordless vocals occupy a third or so of the song, bringing an airy feel to the music, before the band hit the overdrive pedal and play around with noodles of scuzzy electric feedback, which sit behind the unintimidated piano and clean guitar notes. At three and a half minutes, this one plays out like some perfect alternate pop song.
Elsewhere, Cactus Mirror is a more improvised-sounding piece, which neatly balances with the regularly structured songs. Elena’s vocals flirt with two wandering, probing guitar lines, and the lack of bass lends the music plenty of space, which Charles adds minimal drum brushes to. The overall mood of the music is light and rangy, with the notes having no fixed abode. It’s a far cry from Charles’ 3/4 time Duck Walk, a charming waltz, which ends the album. Here synth notes hang with abrupt but fun guitar chords, while the bass and drums underpin the whole thing.
The overriding feeling when listening to Black Duck with Elena Setién, however many times, is that it has plenty of character and a subtle sense of humour like a glint in the eye. The music shifts from tightly composed to improvised with cohesion, and the recording captures the energy of the quartet’s live shows, where the artists rely on considerable skill to create a sound that feels vital and organic. This is a joy to listen to; musicians working together at the highest level to create exciting, adventurous music.
Black Duck with Elena Setién (August 28th, 2026) Thrill Jockey