Ice Door
Neuma, 2024
9/10
The Spanish composer and mathematician Juan J.G. Escudero returns with 6 new pieces, where acousmatic and acoustic selections are fleshed out by some of New York’s finest.
The dense and unpredictable “Páginas de Mar” begins the affair with Emilie-Anne Gendron’s violin and Christropher Gross’ violoncello complementing Josh Perry’s many and distinct percussive ideas, and “Sur la Pente du Talus” follows with a mysterious, cinematic quality that’s both ominous and inviting.
Arriving in the middle, “Das Wort als Horizont” embraces plenty of atmospheric noisemakers and minimalistic ideas, while “Underland A20”recruits waves of intrigue that sometimes feels like found objects and ambient tinkering.
The final piece, “Coincidence Threshold”, is the album’s best, where Benjamin Fingland’s clarinet and bass clarinet align with thick bursts of Molly Morkoski’s piano and Gross’ string prowess.
An often raw body of work that embodies improvisation and analogous manipulation with organic measures, every moment here is fascinating.
Travels well with: Rick Baitz- River Of January; Galan Trio- Kinesis Vol. 2