New Classical

  • Balmorhea – Clear Language Reworked

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    Balmorhea fans were delighted to see a new release from the Austin, Texas-based band last year. Clear Language was the first we’d heard from Rob Lowe and Michael Muller in five years. The warm reception earned by the duo’s sixth album was epitomized by NPR’s Bob Boilen, host of All Songs Considered, confessing: “I’m madly…

  • Various Artists – 4 years of naviar haiku

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    Haiku poetry is more often associated with its simplicity than its beauty. A five-syllable line, followed by a seven-syllable line, followed by another five-syllable line. Poetry so easy anyone can write it. The Japanese form dates back centuries. And it probably won’t surprise you to learn that there’s more to it than a beat count.…

  • The Illusion Of Silence – The White Summer

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    There is a moment, at this time of year, when you know snow is approaching. The sky darkens, the air dampens, then one or two flakes circle slowly to the ground. This is what The White Summer sounds like. From Turin, Italy, Luca Bonandini’s The Illusion Of Science released its second album on Dec. 21,…

  • Panoptique Electrical – Quiet Ecology

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    In a world obsessed with speed, is there anything more powerful and liberating than to be purposefully slow? Is it the ultimate act of rebellion in an on-demand world? Jason Sweeney’s most recent Panoptique Electrical recording will have you thinking along similar lines. His minimalist, ambient/new classical album Quiet Ecology isn’t just slow. It’s radically…

  • Audio. Visuals. Atmosphere.

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    Belgium’s fine Audio. Visuals. Atmosphere. label released a bundle of four new cassettes on Friday. Alocasia Garden, Christopher Whitley and Tereshkova have each produced a new title. The fourth is a compilation featuring one track each from Uaxactun, RVH, False Moniker and Sequences. All of the contributions are faithful to the AVA methodology. Alocasia Garden…

  • Daniela Orvin – Untitled (2014-2016)

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    Right from the start of Daniela Orvin’s impressive six-track debut, there is much to parse through. Bells ring in the distance. White noise – steam-engine like – fills the air. Then droning vocals, giving the piece a sad, almost pained feel. The effect is remarkably visual. That’s no surprise given Orvin’s talent as a photographer.…