Lysis
New Focus, 2024
9/10
The Canadian composer Amy Brandon returns with a diverse offering, where both solo and ensemble pieces unfold with profound attention to detail.
“microchimerisms” starts the listen with Sara Constant’s atypical flute gestures populating the quick ambience, and “threads” follows with an ominous mood, as the Chartreuse Trio emit quivering strings with strong emphasis on pitch and white noise.
The middle tracks belong to “Caduceus” and “Tsiyr”. The former recruits Leah Plave and India Gailey’s cellos amid Brandon’s curious electronics via the down tuned climate, while the latter benefits from Quatuor Bozzini and Ensemble Paramirabo, whose flute, clarinet and piano emits much color and tonality.
The final 2 tracks don’t disappoint either. “Simulacra” welcomes dissonance and melody to the 12+ minutes that puts Jeffrey Zeigler’s cello and the Symphony Nova Scotia to good use, and the title track exits with Bozzini’s prowess, as abrupt shifts in landscape create an unpredictable and intriguing finish.
An unconventional effort that explores microtonality, modern composition and chamber music, Brandon’s vision is lush, exploratory and iconoclastic in its ever changing execution.
Travels well with: Jon Nelson & Metalofonico- Metalofonico; Richard Cameron-Wolfe- Passionate Geometrics