Category Archives: Modern Composition

William Ryan Fritch ~ New Words for Old Wounds/Clean War

With New Words for Old Wounds (and bonus EP Clean War), William Ryan Fritch‘s massive eleven album subscription series finally comes to an end.  We’re sad, but not too sad, because we know that the artist will continue to record and release a generous amount of

William Ryan Fritch ~ New Words for Old Wounds/Clean War

With New Words for Old Wounds (and bonus EP Clean War), William Ryan Fritch‘s massive eleven album subscription series finally comes to an end.  We’re sad, but not too sad, because we know that the artist will continue to record and release a generous amount of

Eighth Blackbird ~ Hand Eye

When an ensemble has won a quartet of Grammies, some begin to wonder: has the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gotten it right?  It’s a fair question, considering the oddities that have piled up over the years (for

Eighth Blackbird ~ Hand Eye

When an ensemble has won a quartet of Grammies, some begin to wonder: has the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gotten it right?  It’s a fair question, considering the oddities that have piled up over the years (for

Colin Stetson ~ Sorrow: a reimagining of Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony

Where were you in 1992?  Many of our readers weren’t born yet.  But older readers will remember the strange surge of Polish composer Henryk Górecki as his third symphony topped the classical charts, sold a million copies and crashed into the

Colin Stetson ~ Sorrow: a reimagining of Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony

Where were you in 1992?  Many of our readers weren’t born yet.  But older readers will remember the strange surge of Polish composer Henryk Górecki as his third symphony topped the classical charts, sold a million copies and crashed into the

Luke Howard ~ Two Places

Two & One was one of my favourite 2014 releases, with Luke Howard largely eschewing the warm orchestration of Sun, Cloud to invite us on a more sombre, wholly captivating journey. Enticingly, the Melbourne-based pianist has moved onward further in

Luke Howard ~ Two Places

Two & One was one of my favourite 2014 releases, with Luke Howard largely eschewing the warm orchestration of Sun, Cloud to invite us on a more sombre, wholly captivating journey. Enticingly, the Melbourne-based pianist has moved onward further in

Antonymes ~ (For Now We See) Through A Glass Dimly

The music of Antonymes (Ian M. Hazeldine) has always reverberated with an inherent sadness, graced by a tinge of holiness.  On his newest effort, this yearning tone is reflected by the title, a reference to the 13th Chapter of Corinthians:  for

Antonymes ~ (For Now We See) Through A Glass Dimly

The music of Antonymes (Ian M. Hazeldine) has always reverberated with an inherent sadness, graced by a tinge of holiness.  On his newest effort, this yearning tone is reflected by the title, a reference to the 13th Chapter of Corinthians:  for

Sontag Shogun ~ “Tale” Remixed/2015, NYC

As Brooklyn’s Sontag Shogun prepares for the release of a new album later next year, they continue to re-visit older recordings and experiment with templates for the new.  On “Tale” Remixed, they invite some friends to re-interpret their work; on the 2015, NYC cassette, they

Sontag Shogun ~ “Tale” Remixed/2015, NYC

As Brooklyn’s Sontag Shogun prepares for the release of a new album later next year, they continue to re-visit older recordings and experiment with templates for the new.  On “Tale” Remixed, they invite some friends to re-interpret their work; on the 2015, NYC cassette, they

Jean-Michel Blais ~ II

Just ignore the fact that this bright, endearing set has been named II; it’s the debut album by Montreal-based composer-pianist Jean-Michel Blais.  With so many piano albums being released as of late, this one comes as a breath of fresh air.  Multiple tempos

Jean-Michel Blais ~ II

Just ignore the fact that this bright, endearing set has been named II; it’s the debut album by Montreal-based composer-pianist Jean-Michel Blais.  With so many piano albums being released as of late, this one comes as a breath of fresh air.  Multiple tempos

International Contemporary Ensemble ~ On the Nature of Thingness

There is a certain ambient quality to On the Nature of Thingness. Like the name, derived from one of the pieces within, states, the whole can be interpreted as an aural reflection on what constitutes a thing, and the sounds

International Contemporary Ensemble ~ On the Nature of Thingness

There is a certain ambient quality to On the Nature of Thingness. Like the name, derived from one of the pieces within, states, the whole can be interpreted as an aural reflection on what constitutes a thing, and the sounds