8-Track
New Focus, 2023
9/10
The New York City cellist Ashley Bathgate fleshes out a listen inspired by Steve Reich’s Counterpoint series, where the 5 pieces are live and pre-recorded and document her profound familiarity with her instrument.
“Augun”, by Fjóla Evans, starts the listen and is influenced by a traditional Iceland song, where the shimmering, dissonant textures create a mesmerizing climate, and Emily Cooley’s “Assemble” follows with 8 parts pieced together for rich tones.
The middle tracks belong to Alex Weiser’s “Willow’s Song” and “Shimmer”, where the former is full of graceful and emotive song craft, while the latter manipulates space and tension with no lack of melody. The last piece, Reich’s “Cello Counterpoint”, places Bathgate’s solo prowess amid pre-recorded layers of harmonic cycles.
A highly expressive and technically stunning performance, few, if any other cellists could make these sounds, and it’s gripping from beginning to end.
Travels well with: Julia Werntz- Someone Who Loves You Throws Me At You; Lee Weisert- Recesses