Sunset Mission (2000)

Bohren & der Club of Gore play jazz so slowly that it feels like a film noir paused between frames. This was their first album with saxophonist Christoph Clöser, whose long, smoky lines drift over sparse drums, soft keys and a bass that seems to step out of the dark. Picture an empty hotel bar where the clock has stopped and the lights keep dimming. Intensity: subtle and lulling. The unease comes entirely from stillness and shadow, which makes it a good first stop for nervous listeners.