Experimental jazz singing is a craft to be cherished and few do so with such acuity as singer Brigitte Beraha.

The Jez Franks-written 'P.T.S.D' streaming at the moment drawn from upcoming Solstice album Food For Thought grips from the moment it begins, the double bass riff of Dave Manington when it arrives around eight bars in sketches out a gruff flattening that allows a rugged robustness. Beraha's absorbing wordless vocal line following and throughout displays her voice as much as an instrument as a vocal vessel. Guitarist Franks deftly steers the direction of the song harmonically certainly most significantly in the first half of the piece. But gradually drummer George Hart asserts himself, then a lovely pastoral Metheny-esque solo from Franks and balladic tenor from Tori Freestone in quick succession flow.

There's a lot packed in and when Freestone takes a more substantial solo the tune seems to have stripped out all the earlier complications and the musicians settle back a little more. In the last minute of the song there is no obvious resolution at first when Beraha returns although in the granular harmonic detail all the challenges of the opening intensity slot into place and the sudden conclusion is just right rather than a jolt. 'P.T.S.D' augurs well for the February release of the album. Brigitte Beraha, top