The New York Times, Gramophone, and NPR celebrate The Blind Banister in their "Best of 2024" lists.
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Album Quotes
William Brittelle’s mini-album is a shock to the system – a relentless flood of synths, strings and saxophone, with warped vocals complemented by an artificial choir, and reprieves of lush pads and soft melodic fragments.
Wonderfully controlled and poised performance by cellist Inbal Segev in Upstate Obscura, Metropolis Ensemble under conductor Andrew Cyr in full control throughout, and the irrepressible Andres on top of his game in The Blind Banister and the solo piano piece Colorful History, I cannot recommend this album highly enough.
“These three works from Timo Andres showcase the US composer’s distinctive and accomplished musical language… It’s a highly accomplished disc all round.”
“Finally, we get a recording of Andres' piano concerto, The Blind Banister, shortlisted for a Pulitzer in 2016, with the composer at the keys. That the album contains the cinematic cello concerto Upstate Obscura, with Inbal Segev, makes it worth the wait.”
William Brittelle’s movements are fleeting and brief, like constantly shifting perspectives in dreams that dissolve into one another with a logic all their own.
The multi-part suite combines bits of freeform noise, mutated transmissions, seething strings, subliminal guitar, and ghostly singing into a lucid nightmare of oddly soothing sonic insanity.
“A vividly immersive thriller... not a word or note is without purpose, and both are captured, if not enhanced, in this richly produced recording.”
In A Grove is rendered in a taut, mesmeric soundworld featuring a strikingly expressive use of electronics. Eight characters are assigned to four excellent singers who, combined with a subtle-hued Metropolis Ensemble, bring the story grippingly alive within Cerrone’s lushly circular, almost ritualistic harmonic frame.
The way they create a soundscape in the recording really captures the mysterious and immersive spirit of Akutagawa’s work. It’s immersive, it's compulsively listenable.
In A Grove is an engrossing and complete experience... Cerrone evokes the fragility of memory from the outset... Metropolis articulates his economical writing for nine players with vivid nuance.
In A Grove is vividly produced… not a mere document of the premiere, but a creation of its own, carefully considered for the studio… commanding attention until the end.
Our top pick is “In A Grove.” This is an opera that will linger long in my memory. Now it can find a place in your memory with the release of this album. I love it and can’t wait to see a full production (hopefully sooner as opposed to later).
In A Grove provides further confirmation of Cerrone's singular gifts and why he's justly regarded as one of today's leading composers.
“A mesmerizing debut… In A Grove benefits from the meticulous playing of Metropolis… and imbues the album with a sense of fidelity to its creator’s vision.”
“Entering Telekinesis’ sound world, one feels like an explorer discovering a planet located at the far reaches of a distant galaxy… a journey that is at once exhilarating, terrifying and alienating.”
Telekinesis has a unique tonal quality characterised by thrilling juxtapositions between electronic and acoustic sounds. An astonishing tour de force that gives new meaning to the word epic. Four stars.
Metamorphosis is quite lyrical and beautiful, gathering steam and lusciousness until self-infatuated Narcissus disappears into the void.
Samora Pinderhughes’ Grief mixes gospel harmonies, simmering post-hip-hop instrumentals and wounded balladry, the music shudders with outrage and vision.
Phong Tran’s “The Computer Room” transports us back to the days of dial-up through the sounds of early synthesizers, which range from melancholic to ecstatic to warm, heartfelt nostalgia, even in the complete absence of acoustic sound.