From Sweden we have an ad-hoc grouping of four fine players – Erik Blennow Calälv, Lisa Ullén, Finn Loxbo and the American Ryan Packard – all performing the compositions of Calälv on Bi, In You & Iwato (INSUB.RECORDS insub.rec.cd25).
These compositions take their cue from traditional / ancient Japanese music scales, hence the whole structure is totally non-Western we must assume; one of the defining traits of these scales (shared across traditional Asian music) is the use of the pentatonic, i.e. they have five notes in the scale (as opposed to the European octave) and tend to emphasise half-step intervals. I note the normal expectation in Japanese culture would be to hear the music played by a solo instrument, but today’s record offers four instruments – bass clarinet, piano, guitar and percussion, often sounding together. Even so, they offer lots of space for each other, and proceed in a highly respectful manner, and very slowly.
It’s the group effort that’s relevant here, but I would like to single out Lisa Ullén for her extremely delicate playing. It’s as if each note from her were asking a question rather than making a musical statement, imbued with natural curiosity. Loxbo too does a lot to sketch his way around the perimeters of each nebulous composition with small resonating notes from his guitar. Only Calälv comes close to providing anything like a “drone” to the fabric of the music with his bass clarinet interjections, but it’s like a light breeze that subsides as soon as it appears. Having started out suggesting this is an all-Swedish undertaking, it’s more accurate to point out that Ryan Packard was born in American though he lives in Stockholm just now; and Lisa Ullén was born in Korea, but grew up in Sweden where she also received her musical training.
With the album cover art, one is tempted to look for clues in the actual music – is there an intended parallel with Japanese painting and printmaking? Or with landscape art? Or is it music for contemplating the stillness of nature? (20/01/2023)