Testaments push the envelope on a daring debut EP, "Never Run Dry"
On their debut EP Never Run Dry, London quintet Testaments stake a bold claim as one of the most forward-thinking forces in modern jazz, and we mean that. Across four sprawling tracks and nearly 39 minutes, the group expands the boundaries of improvised music without losing the emotion that anchors truly great songwriting. It’s an ambitious first statement, rooted in bassist and songwriter Mark McQuillan’s lyrical instincts and built in chemistry of a band that have hit on all cylinders.
Testaments’ vision has been to bring highly experimental, improvisation-driven music to audiences beyond the typical jazz listener. However what makes Never Run Dry so great is the constant balance of adventurous composition and deeply human storytelling. Even as the band reworks existing pieces, each track taking its inspiration from pre-existing musical sources, their fingerprint remains unmistakable. McQuillan’s poetic lyricism and the group’s shared sense of drama transform every piece into something new and original to themselves.
The EP opens with “Ae Fond Kiss (Never Run Dry),” a 13-minute journey that fuses traditional Scottish song, 19th-century romanticism, jazz improvisation, and spoken word into one long and literally hypnotic piece. Their vocalist Rebecka Edlund commands the center portion with a performance that’s emotionally raw, while Cameron Scott adds a warmth that sets the tone for the entire record. The track unfolds in four distinct sections, and though it’s certainly long, it’s broken up in a way that keeps you focused the whole way through.
“Mountain Stream (Take 1)” shifts the mood entirely, transforming Fergus McCreadie’s 2024 piece into an almost mournful ballad. It’s one of the EP’s most best moments in our opinion, with Dom Howard’s subtle guitar lines weaving delicately through the lyrics. Every element here feels essential, nothing is wasted. It’s quite barebones, but without a doubt, it’s quite serious sounding and still sucks you in.
Then comes “Contemplation,” where the energy kicks up 10 notches. It’s a reimagining of flautist Harry Trevillion’s 2023 track. From the first note, the band hits their stride. Sam Nicholls’ drumming is relentless, pushing the ensemble into a swirling instrumental that runs around 10 minutes. It’s Testaments at their most electric, showcasing their capacity for controlled chaos and vibrant interplay.
The EP closes with “Mountain Stream (Take 2),” a radical departure from the first take of the track. Here, the group leans fully into free improv, using the original melody only as a distant reference point. Even though it’s a different version of the first take, it expands at more than double the length, and has some vocal moments that are legitimately beautiful.
Across Never Run Dry, every player gets a moment to shine, but for us the real magic lied in the collective voice they created. It’s jazz for purists and newcomers alike. This is a band with something to say, and a riveting new way of saying it.
We already know we’ll be coming back to this record, but as we patiently wait for more, go ahead and click those links below to listen in for yourselves and follow along for the latest.
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