Category Archives: Modern Composition

Sven Helbig ~ Skills

What does it take to master a skill?  Sven Helbig‘s album is a loving tribute to generations of artisans, engravers, doctors, debaters, and of course musicians, kindly including new skills such as skateboarding and programming.  Ironically, Helbig, a skilled drummer

Sven Helbig ~ Skills

What does it take to master a skill?  Sven Helbig‘s album is a loving tribute to generations of artisans, engravers, doctors, debaters, and of course musicians, kindly including new skills such as skateboarding and programming.  Ironically, Helbig, a skilled drummer

Jean-Michel Blais ~ aubades

One of the season’s loveliest albums was borne out of heartbreak.  An aubade is “a morning love song about lovers separating at dawn.”  Composer Jean-Michel Blais used the end of a relationship to reaffirm his commitment to life.  Known primarily for his piano work,

Jean-Michel Blais ~ aubades

One of the season’s loveliest albums was borne out of heartbreak.  An aubade is “a morning love song about lovers separating at dawn.”  Composer Jean-Michel Blais used the end of a relationship to reaffirm his commitment to life.  Known primarily for his piano work,

Vilhelm Bromander ~ aurora

There are times when we check an album’s genre tags on Bandcamp to be sure we are in the right area. Does the artist consider their work drone or ambient, for example? It’s a useful pointer if we are feeling

Vilhelm Bromander ~ aurora

There are times when we check an album’s genre tags on Bandcamp to be sure we are in the right area. Does the artist consider their work drone or ambient, for example? It’s a useful pointer if we are feeling

2022 Winter Music Preview ~ Modern Composition

If 2021 was The Year of Modern Composition, what might 2022 have in store?  Beside blazing fires, with pens and port, composers are penning new emotional notes.  The seeds for many an inspiration are planted in the cold winter months.

2022 Winter Music Preview ~ Modern Composition

If 2021 was The Year of Modern Composition, what might 2022 have in store?  Beside blazing fires, with pens and port, composers are penning new emotional notes.  The seeds for many an inspiration are planted in the cold winter months.

ACL 2021 ~ Top Ten Modern Composition

This year, we reviewed more modern composition albums than those in any other genre ~ not because more were submitted, but because their overall quality was so high.  We read this trend early in our Spring Music Preview, and it

ACL 2021 ~ Top Ten Modern Composition

This year, we reviewed more modern composition albums than those in any other genre ~ not because more were submitted, but because their overall quality was so high.  We read this trend early in our Spring Music Preview, and it

Various Artists ~ Winter Tales

When are we ready for Christmas music?  Not in September, when the first Christmas albums start to appear; and certainly not before Halloween, when this set was first slated for release.  But by now, it’s safe to say we’re ready

Various Artists ~ Winter Tales

When are we ready for Christmas music?  Not in September, when the first Christmas albums start to appear; and certainly not before Halloween, when this set was first slated for release.  But by now, it’s safe to say we’re ready

Pat Jaffe & Callum Mintzis ~ A Sanctuary of Quietude

The title is literal and metaphoric.  A Sanctuary of Quietude refers to “moments of stillness in nature,” and the set was recorded between lockdowns in the sanctuary of St. John’s Anglican Church, Camberwell. In order to realize their vision, the Melbourne

Pat Jaffe & Callum Mintzis ~ A Sanctuary of Quietude

The title is literal and metaphoric.  A Sanctuary of Quietude refers to “moments of stillness in nature,” and the set was recorded between lockdowns in the sanctuary of St. John’s Anglican Church, Camberwell. In order to realize their vision, the Melbourne

Otto A Totland ~ Companion

In a time when physical packaging seems to have disappeared from the market, it’s encouraging to encounter the consistency of Berlin’s Sonic Pieces.  Companion is the latest entry in their cloth series ~ we’ll call this the Wheat One.  The album

Otto A Totland ~ Companion

In a time when physical packaging seems to have disappeared from the market, it’s encouraging to encounter the consistency of Berlin’s Sonic Pieces.  Companion is the latest entry in their cloth series ~ we’ll call this the Wheat One.  The album