Sila: The Breath Of The World
Cantaloupe, 2022
9/10
Listen to Sila: The Breath Of The World
A very detailed large group effort from the New York composer John Luther Adams, there’s some incredible talent on hand, i.e. the esteemed chamber choir The Crossing, the Grammy nominated JACK Quartet and musicians from the University of Michigan for this ultra creative listen.
The very lengthy composition leads with a mysterious droning that’s as alluring as it is mesmerizing, where waves of strategic percussion and careful, cautious strings enter at very specific times.
Halfway through, a more dreamy demeanor filters in, as the wordless vocals from The Crossing take focus amid the sonic gestures of beauty.
Adams cites that Sila is about wind, the weather, the forces of nature. It also revolves around intelligence, consciousness and our sense of awareness of the world around us, plus the world’s awareness of us, and his inimitable vision and the player’s remarkable execution makes for a very fascinating body of work.
Travel well with: Tom Nazziola- Distant Places; Duo Della Luna- Mangetsu