Balter / Saunier cover
Released

Angular, with corners full of sunshine. This three-way collaboration between composer Marcos Balter, chamber-music group Ensemble dal Niente, and experimental-indie fixtures Deerhoof sounds improbable in theory but is surprisingly coherent. It travels through moods and genre spaces effortlessly, skillfully traversing the extremely wide range of sonic possibilities available here (see especially the “Deerhoof Chamber Variations” that close the album. It brings together luminous sunshine and taut energy; warm French horn, chiming harp and carving electric guitars; meditation and chaos.

Sean Wood

Recommended by

Suggestions
David Lang: The Little Match Girl Passion cover

David Lang: The Little Match Girl Passion

Ars Nova Copenhagen, Paul Hillier, Theatre of Voices
Alarm Will Sound Presents Modernists cover

Alarm Will Sound Presents Modernists

Alarm Will Sound, Alan Pierson
Takemitsu: Visions, November Steps cover

Takemitsu: Visions, November Steps

Hiroshi Wakasugi, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Exposure cover

Exposure

Esperanza Spalding
Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmelites cover

Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmelites

Kent Nagano, Orchestre De L'Opéra National De Lyon
 Cape Fear cover

Cape Fear

Elmer Bernstein
Schnittke: Concerto For Choir cover

Schnittke: Concerto For Choir

USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir, Valery Polyansky
Adès: Asyla cover

Adès: Asyla

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Simon Rattle
Carthage cover

Carthage

The Crossing, Donald Nally
Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Kindertotenlieder; Rückert-Lieder cover

Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen; Kindertotenlieder; Rückert-Lieder

Kent Nagano, Christian Gerhaher, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal