Swiss pianist and composer Nik Brtsch and his band Ronin grabbed the attention of the international jazz world with four acclaimed ECM recordings between 2006 and 2012. The group's trademark sound lies in minimal, interlocking, contrapuntal, polyrhythmic grooves that Brtsch defines as "zen funk," played on piano, percussion, and electric bass. It is not only listenable, but actually danceable.

But Ronin's roots lie in Mobile, an earlier Brtsch ensemble that cut two albums Ritual Groove Music in 2004 and Aer in 2006 before this one. The composer's approach to rhythm, skeletal harmony, counterpoint, and repetition is different but holistic everywhere evident in both. The pianist's Mobile features bassist Kaspar Rast (on acoustic upright), and reed multi-instrumentalist Sha (both Ronin regulars), as well as percussionist Nicholas Stocker.

Sha plays clarinets exclusively. His function, in direct contrast to his frontline role in Ronin, is as a tonal center and rhythmic collaborator. The music on Continuum is more deliberate, ritualistic it's still anchored in grooves but they're less obvious. The discipline of this band is legendary in Switzerland: its earliest incarnation could perform Brtsch's hypnotic compositions for 36 hours straight.

• 180-gram vinyl double LP
• Album download included, offer subject to expiration

A1 Modul 29_14
A2 Modul 12
B1 Modul 18
B2 Modul 5
C1 Modul 60
C2 Modul 4
D1 Modul 44
D2 Modul 8_11