ARTIST: Dog Soup

ALBUM RELEASE: Fragments

RELEASE DATE: 7 November 2025

Brand new label, Dark Circles Recordings has rediscovered and is reissuing an album originally recorded and released in 2008 by Dog Soup, a then London-based quartet that played a handful of gigs and recorded just one exemplary album before, seemingly, disappearing. That album, Fragments is a mesmerising album of rhythmic shapes and melodic colours that still sounds fresh, exciting, and dynamic 17 years on. Fragments is a crucial chapter in the British jazz story that can now be told again.

The brainchild of award-winning trumpeter and composer Robbie Robson, Dog Soup was briefly part of the Loop Collective, a group of adventurous young musicians founded in London in 2005. Dog Soup cut this one mesmerising album of rhythmic shapes and melodic colours that still sounds fresh, exciting and dynamic 17 years on. An intoxicating mix of composed and freely improvised playing, Fragments keeps the listener guessing just where the music is coming from.

“The motivation came about because I wanted it so you would not be able to tell what was improvised and what wasn’t. It’s always nice when something unexpected happens.” Robbie Robson

The quartet consists of some of the UK’s finest, and most creative players. Joining Robson on trumpet is John Turville on electric piano, Tim Giles on drums, and Johnny Brierly on bass.  That muscular rhythm section provides a solid foundation for Robson’s trumpet to punctuate and envelop their contributions with layer upon layer of rich and lustrous textures. From the epic and majestic 19-minute title track, with its exciting gear shifts and surprising turns, to the drum-and-bass-like thrust of Black Mackerel, the album’s high energy and rhythmic density are balanced by moments of space and air—such as on Shimmer, a luxurious balm of aural delight. The interplay among the musicians is delightful, showcasing a deep communication and understanding of each other’s roles and relationships. The bass and drums deliver some serious funk—airtight yet flexible—while the electric piano glistens and glides. The trumpet, often filtered through a variety of effects, provides moments of brilliant light and subtle shade.

Released in 2008, Fragments just preceded the revitalised British jazz scene and slipped under the radar of even the most ardent aficionados, becoming a lost classic. Seventeen years later, Dark Circles Recordings — a newly formed label based in St. Leonards, East Sussex — recognised its brilliance, persuaded Robson to reissue it, and brought it back to life on 180g double vinyl.