I am somewhat at a loss with this album, as to my ears this double disc should have been released as two separate albums but at the same time it makes total sense to release it as one, but I am getting somewhat ahead of myself so really should explain what we have here. Pianist Laura Cole originally recorded solo piano arrangements of two pieces by Ron Caines (founder of East of Eden) for an album Caines was working on with Martin Archer. Martin suggested that Laura keep the songs for a solo album, and to write arrangements for more or Ron’s compositions. This seemed like a great idea, so she set to and recorded ‘Sky Chord’, which features 11 songs by Ron Caines. Then once that was completed discussions turned to possibly adapting some of Ron’s songs for a string quartet, which led to ‘Haptic Space’ with four songs (which are also on the first disc) now recorded as a string quartet, and then a fifth which is a quintet including Laura.
This means that while we have two albums of material all originally composed by Ron Caines and then arranged by Laura Coles, there are very different approaches between the two. ‘Sky Chord’ is a thing of majestic towering beauty, fragile yet strong, weak yet powerful, relaxed yet on edge. Here the notes are jagged and sharp, breaking in through the reverberation and space with menace and feeling, yet while they may be abrupt in their entrance they hang on with the use of the pedals, the sustain often drifting along to its ultimate conclusion. Here I found myself awaiting every new step with great anticipation, not knowing the journey on which I was being undertaken but with full confidence that this was something quite remarkable which needed my undivided attention (I highly recommend playing on headphones when one has the time to truly listen and devote oneself).
Contrast that to the performance on the second disc by Gemma Bass (violin), Seth Bennett (double bass), Aby Vulliamy (viola) and Semay Wu (cello). This feels more intense, far more in common with improvised music as they push their instruments to their limits, playing them in different styles, yet all so tightly arranged that it somehow makes sense even when it should not. On the first disc “Mazeep” is only 3:24, but on the second it is 8:56 and feels like a very different piece altogether as Laura shows what a fine arranger she is as she takes pieces and deconstructs them to turn them into something quite different indeed. The highlight of this disc is the final number, “Calypso Roto”, where Laura joins with the others as they extend the piece which is 2:13 on the first disc to 14:48 on the second as they improvise to make something very different indeed.
The overall impression is of two modern classical albums which are determined to break boundaries and does just that. They two discs are distinct and very different, but they are both exceptional and there is no doubt this is a concept which has worked very well indeed. This will not be for everyone, but for those who really understand music and its possibilities will find this incredibly powerful.
Rating: 9/10