Los Angeles has a vibrant jazz ecosystem, nurtured by elite instrumentalists. Moving beyond traditional purism, a new generation is blending indie, pop, and avant-garde influences into the music, enriching its texture.

The ensemble SML exemplifies this shift. This collective—bassist Anna Butterss, synthesist Jeremiah Chiu, saxophonist Josh Johnson, percussionist Booker Stardrum, and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann—boasts collaborative histories with figures from Jeff Parker to Phoebe Bridgers. Their new album, *How You Been*, synthesizes these experiences into a boldly exploratory and mesmerizing work.

The record offers a hypnotic spread of strange electronic patterns, sprawling drum work, and foundational basslines, accented by distorted guitar and saxophone. Chiu’s modular synthesizer acts as its celestial nucleus, remarkable for its breadth and inventive frenzy. He shifts from bubbling rhythmic fragments to ethereal pads and peculiar samples, echoing artists like Oneohtrix Point Never. The group largely orbits this cosmic guide, embracing density with precision. A track like “Chicago Four” suggests Silver Apples reimagined through formal jazz training, while the intricate guitar lines and rhythmic dislocations of other pieces recall the structured complexity of bands like Battles. “Old Mytth” is a highlight, the ensemble weaving seamlessly beneath skittering electronics, with counterpoint that nods to Philip Glass.

Despite its rhythmic complexity and layered sound, the album remains grounded by the steady pulse from Butterss and Stardrum, transforming ambitious ideas into physically compelling music. Expression arises from a rich spectrum of tones, not sheer virtuosic overload.

Though the album’s flow occasionally feels uneven, *How You Been* ultimately coalesces into a vivid, shifting cloud of percussion, icy synthesizers, and adventurous interplay. A thrilling and immersive statement, SML reaffirms the potent appeal of the supergroup format.