HARRIET RILEY AND ALEX GARDEN – Sonder II (own label HRAG02)

Sonder IIIf you delight in placing musicians into pigeonholes you’ll probably need a whole new category for Harriet Riley and Alex Garden. Harriet plays vibraphone and Alex plays violin and octave violin which may sound a bit off-the-wall but really isn’t. They are joined on Sonder II, their second album, by Stevie Toddler on double bass and Pete Judge on flugelhorn although both show a great deal of restraint throughout. Harriet and Alex play original material that is an amalgam of classical, contemporary and traditional ideas.

They have a sense of humour when it comes to titling their compositions. Each one is a single word (although one is divided into three parts) and the music reflects the meaning of the word. Some are familiar to most of us: ‘Palindrome’ (the track of three incarnations), ‘Supine’, ‘Tryst’ and ‘Frisson’ will cause no problems but what about ‘Resfeber’? That’s the title of the opening track and means “the restless race of a traveller’s heart before a journey begins” and is an appropriately exciting, racy piece.

In contrast, ‘Psithurism’, the sound of wind through trees, is a slow, stately composition led by violin with the vibraphone providing what I can only describe as tinkly bits underneath. The word itself is considered obsolete now, possibly replaced by susurrus, but the track is definitely a psithurism rather than a susurrus, which is an entirely different sound. ‘Supine’ is another stately tune and you can imagine yourself lying on your back, facing the sky and watching the world drift by. ‘Tryst’ has a suitably secretive feel with the two instruments intertwining and exchanging the lead. It slows down towards the end as though the “male” part is sated but the “female” voice gees him up again. The flugelhorn is featured here but don’t ask me if it has any significance.

‘Frisson’ is appropriately doom-laden but ‘Apricity’ (basking in the warmth of the sun) doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its title for me – I’d expect something rather lighter: a little more like ‘Nubivagant’ (moving among clouds) which closes the set.

Sonder II is a fascinating album that gives up more with every play.

Dai Jeffries

Artists’ website: https://www.harrietrileyalexgarden.com/

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