Reviews on here of cracking Thrill Jockey releases are like buses it seems. You wait ages for one, and then a bunch of kids kids start laughing at your haircut and throwing chips at you. After the glorious soundscapes of Nemeth’s Film come another couple of changes of style, but anchored to that key core of Chicago musicians the label is more famous for.

Admittedly in the case of the Human Bell album that connection is limited to having been mixed by John McEntire. The more prominent geographical axis is the Maryland-Kentucky one. Dave Heumann and Nathan Bell (see what they did with the name there? Can you see it?) have collaborated with some of the greats of that scene, including Lungfish, Bonnie Prince Billy, and David Pajo. The album betrays that distinguished blood line – I suppose you would finger this as post-rock, but it pushes at whatever boundaries one would suppose would encircle that genre. After the Slinty dynamics of “A Change In Fortunes” comes the bluesy folk of “Splendor and Concealment”. “Ephaphatha” is easily diagnosed as jazz-curious, while excellent closer “The Singing Trees” lumbers in circles around the more progressive doom metal practiced by Earth these days.

As enjoyable as the Human Bell is, it is eclipsed by the mighty shadow created by jazz behemoth Bill Dixon passing through the orbit of Chicago legend Rob Mazurek. Mazurek’s big band, The Exploding Star Orchestra, released a fine album last year which fused Arkestra-style blowouts with some rhythmic Reichian excursions. Given Dixon’s history – having played not only with Sun Ra, but with Archie Shepp and Cecil Taylor, his reputation as one of the most original thinkers in jazz is borne out by the list of those he has worked with – getting him involved makes so much sense. With him on board, they have produced two expansive, technically impressive but above all hugely enjoyable compositions. Two versions of Dixon’s “Entrances” top and tail the album (the former livelier, the latter sliding into a mournful ambience), featuring some irrepressible drumming from Tortoise’s John Herndon, as well as some beguiling piano and vibraphone. The two trumpeters dance around each other, with some lively swoops and breathy drone sections. Mazurek’s piece “Constellations” features some poetic spoken instructions for the band, all space shards and light beams and warp time, curtailed by a slab of meaty free playing. The Dixon solos which follow this are extraordinary; spluttering, echoing, crackling constructions, typical of the man (I saw him doing something similar in a solo support slot for Cecil Taylor a few years back), and typical of the quality of this great album.

Get on the bus by purchasing these from Thrill Jockey. Exact money only.