A musical experience with its own unique feel. That’s exactly what RADIO.STRING.QUARTET’s new album has to offer. ”in between silence” (Jazzland Recordings Norway) is imaginative, stylistically obtuse, and just sounds beautiful.
The radio.string.quartet has already cultivated a sound on its previous releases that did not really correspond to any typical musical categorizations. The Austrian-Taiwanese-Dutch quartet created a comfortable space for itself somewhere between genres. Inspired by a wide variety of styles they created a wonderful crossover tapestry woven out of pure musical diversity. It is an approach that finds its exciting continuation on their latest album.
EXCITING, SUSPENSEFUL, ATMOSPHERIC
On “in between silence”, Bernie Mallinger (violin), Cynthia Liao (viola), Sophie Abraham (cello) and Igmar Jenner (violin) prove themselves to be a formation that can create something unique out of musical diversity. An original sound in which various elements are woven together into a fascinating story. With the help of the Norwegian nu-jazz pioneer Bugge Wesseltoft and Berlin techno pioneer Henrik Schwarz, the quartet was able to make a recording that exploits its fullest potential. It makes use of classical and chamber music, dares excursions into jazz, pop and ambient music and blends fusion with rock and electronics. There are no limits to their wealth of ideas and joy of experimentation.
What is particularly impressive is how the two ladies and the two gentlemen forge the many individual elements into coherent pieces, how they form a complex and elaborate musical dramaturgy, which – partly due to the deliberate restraint of the four participants – develops an unusually dense atmosphere. The music of the radio.string.quartet is full of feeling and depth. You are led through mysterious distant worlds, gently and passionately caressed by the most beautiful melancholy and, in time, gripped by a carefree lightness. There is also no shortage of sometimes weird or dramatic outbursts, which always offer surprising twists and turns.
With “in between silence” the radio.string.quartet once again delivers beautiful proof of their extraordinary abillities. The new album reveals itself as a captivating piece of music.
Michael Ternai
Links:
radio string quartet
radio string quartet (Facebook)
Jazzland Recordings