Opal

A gorgeous sweet spot for this German band, where their spinning improv machine hits a tiny patch of land where they might be both King Crimson and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and nobody would really honestly be able to tell you differently. Something about this period that is eternally attractive is how alive bands feel, how fully open-hearted the playing is. Massive. (If this appeals, try the first album by Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath.)