TIGER’S DEN marks the debut of Swiss composer and bandleader Jan Dintheer — a bold, intricate, and deeply personal statement that blends conceptual structure with spontaneous energy. Written entirely for his own Large Ensemble, this album unfolds as a journey through imagination, curiosity, and discovery — a sonic expedition into unexplored territory.

Rooted in Dintheer’s fascination with large-scale jazz composition, the music fuses rhythmic complexity and lyrical intensity. Tracks like Unvollkommenes Beryllium and Längsgeteilte Dringlichkeit draw on conceptual techniques such as “cellular composition,” while pieces like Flug Frohmut or 5 vor 12 capture moments of emotional immediacy — from the thrill of skydiving to reflections on global unrest.

At the heart of it all lies Tiger’s Den, the title piece — a mysterious, winding journey that builds from introspective bass clarinet passages to an explosive climax, evoking the courage to step into the unknown. The album closes with Shepard’s Pie, whose “Shepard rhythm” illusion gives the impression of perpetual acceleration, bringing the listener full circle in a seamless narrative arc.

Dintheer’s writing displays a rare equilibrium between intellect and instinct. The ensemble — a vibrant collective of 19 musicians — brings the compositions to life with warmth, detail, and vitality. The result is an album that’s at once architecturally precise and deeply human.