Alarm Will Sound won their first Grammy Award this past February for Best Chamber Music / Small Ensemble Performance. They are also currently celebrating their 25th anniversary as a chamber orchestra, an occasion they’re ringing in with a series of events throughout the year. The Grammy win acted as a serendipitous commencement to the festivities. It was shortly followed by the release of Lift, an exhibition of the group’s journey so far, and the first release of their anniversary year.
Lift opens with a rework of the Renaissance piece Lachrimae. The title translates to “tears” in Latin, and the composer John Dowland even wrote, “The title doth promise tears…” in the 17th century equivalent of liner notes. Alarm Will Sound introduces Lachrimae’s theme in the slow and mournful style it was intended to be played in. The melody seems encumbered, steeped in a heavy melancholy. But suddenly, leaving no time to weep, a weight is lifted and the orchestra explodes into a rapidfire evolution of variations. Sorrow is replaced with an energy bordering on mania, though the original melodic motif remains a grounding presence. The effect is somewhat Trans-Siberian Orchestra-esque (not easy to say out loud). In this case, though, Alarm Will Sound’s spin on Lachrimae leans techno rather than metal. What was once a pity party becomes a rave. It’s safe to say this remix would take Dowland by surprise if he were around to hear it. At the same time, the club-night feel may align with his ethos; the previously mentioned quote concludes, “neither are tears shed always in sorrow, but sometimes in joy and gladness.”
As the opening track indicates, Alarm Will Sound often stretches the limits of acoustic instruments, expanding the possibilities beyond what one might think possible. The group is best known for their 2005 album Acoustica, a collection of instrumental Aphex Twin covers. Lift, which consists of pieces composed or arranged by various members over the past two decades, showcases the group’s propensity for extremes. Lift’s second track, “Escape Wisconsin (Alarm Remix),” compels us to wonder whether they chose to cover the original piece– a modern composition by Caleb Burhans– purely as a technical challenge. The accompanying video, recorded in 2020, is a delight as much for its inventive production as for the obvious aura of whimsy and fun emanating from the performers.
“Immaterial Consequences at the Missouri Theatre,” was recorded using a typical orchestra stage setup, but without the instrumentalists. Instead, it is composed entirely of manipulated microphone feedback. Alarm Will Sound is not known for shying away from discordance, but this track is nothing like the screeches one might hear at a local open mic with an amateur sound system. It’s more like a work of ambient drone, with a mystical ghostliness about it that seems appropriate for a stage full of empty chairs. Later on comes “Philosophy of the World,” the album’s lead single. It’s a cover from The Shaggs, who infamously recorded an entire album in the 60s that is unintentionally out of time, out of key, and out of tune. The original seems impossible to adapt while retaining both its flaws and its unique charm, but this is yet another challenge Alarm Will Sound expertly conquers.
A final standout piece towards Lift’s close is “Roygbiv,” a rendition of the beloved Boards of Canada track. Reminiscent of Acoustica, this track naturally guides the album home. Speaking of which, Alarm Will Sound has an upcoming show this autumn called “Homecoming.” They will perform at Eastman School of Music, where they began 25 years ago as students, to debut a program called New Acoustica. While it’s exciting to think the group may revisit the concept that brought them to prominence in 2005, it’s astounding to see how dramatically they have branched out since then. Their 25th anniversary is both a retrospective and a glimpse into the future. Each member is clearly immensely talented, but it’s Alarm Will Sound’s daring, playful, and collaborative spirit that will lift them to new heights. (Maya Merberg)
a closer listen 