Liminal spaces are spaces of transition, states of being in-between. Airports are such places: not here anymore, not quite there yet, defined by functional, unobtrusive design, yet filled with meaning by personal memory and associations. They hold moments of departure, of becoming and belonging, perhaps also a reorientation of ‘home’ and the feeling of returning.

With Airports, saxophonist and composer Matti Klessascheck presents a multifaceted debut album dedicated to this state of limbo. Across thirteen tracks, the music shifts between expansive, largescale compositions and compact miniatures performed by solo, duo, and trio line-ups, each offering a different perspective on the theme.

His artistic vision is brought to life by an exciting band of some of the most promising young talents on the German jazz scene and long-standing collaborators. With their mature ensemble playing and strong creative drive, the ensemble brings the compositions to life with compelling expression, adding a great sense of immediacy to the music and shaping the pieces beyond their written form.

In Airports I, the synth lines played by Leon Hattori subtly echo the announcement sounds of Cologne/Bonn Airport, whilst the opening track’s melodic gestures evoke Brian Eno’s genredefining Music for Airports. Inspired by the changing nature of memories, Circular and Unfold piece melodies together like a mosaic, only to have them fragmented into a hundred pieces again by bass, drums and tenor saxophone. The brief, introspective Airports III allows the piano and saxophone to make the room feel smaller and harbours the wish for the moment to linger just a little longer.

That this music resonates is evident: the album was supported by the LOFT Köln recording project in 2024 and awarded the Jury Prize to Matti Klessascheck. With this personal album, which grew out of his graduation project, he introduces himself as a new, distinctive voice in contemporary jazz and impresses equally as a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.