Irreversible Entanglements emerged as a vital voice in contemporary free jazz, and Protect Your Light, released in 2023 on the storied Impulse! label, confirms their standing. The ensemble plays with urgency and intelligence, moving between passionate collective improvisation and composed sections that frame the soloists. There's a political and spiritual consciousness behind the music—you hear it in the energy, the refusal to accept easy answers. The music is challenging but not alienating, sophisticated but rooted in joy. This is free jazz made now, by musicians engaged with history and committed to pushing the form forward.