Northern England’s Ancient Infinity Orchestra digs into the heavier side of spiritual jazz with their third full-length, It’s Always About Liberation. The album is the companion piece to their 2025 collection It’s Always About Love. Fittingly, where About Love was often uplifting and exuberant, About Liberation is more grounded and reflective. The songs are longer, the mood is deeper. Ancient Infinity Orchestra’s membership numbers in the double digits. The expansive group grew out of jam sessions at the University of Leeds under the leadership of double bassist Ozzy Moysey and continued at a communal home that the neighbors called “the cult house.” The band’s name was inspired by a bit of Sun Ra-related lore about a drum made from a fallen tree branch, so you can tell what type of waves they’re surfing on. It’s Always About Liberation combines both orchestral and African traditions. On “Akshay,” a song about the enduring spiritual presence of the dead, a flute and violin swirl around the resonant plinks of an mbira. “Celebrating the Beautiful Lineage of Sound & Hypnotic States” is inspired by the trance-inducing properties of Morocco’s gnawa music, though its title could also make for a fascinating term paper. Either way, it’s definitely worth studying.