https://cleanfeedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lockdown
Genre: Third Stream Contemporary
Rating: 5/5 (see below)
released on bandcamp April 19, 2021
Functioning as a democracy instead of a dictatorship served these three well on this outstanding Clean Feed release very generously available for free listening on bandcamp. The musicians lean heavily into the 20th century tradition of Arnold Schoenberg by way of Elliott Carter contemporary classical style of composition and improvise relatively conservatively within that framework. All three have impressive and interesting resumes.
I’m quick to give this the highest possible rating because the quality is clear from the start. However, that does not mean I’m claiming full understanding. I feel pretty confident I know where it’s coming from artistically but complicated compositions like this take a long time to get to know (for me at least). Sometimes it’s a tough choice between wanting to check everything out or returning to certain records. I probably would have never developed what I call friendships with a lot of contemporary classical that I came to know over decades if so much music had been available in my youth since it’s so easy to spread yourself too thin, especially if the music demands some work on the listener’s part. The discography on Clean Feed is a good place to turn for music that will pay dividends with multiple listens.
Warmth Highest 