Korean composer Park Jiha uses the traditional instruments of her country to realise her compositions on All Living Things (tak:til / GLITTERBEAT GBCD165). Nine instrumentals in praise of nature on this eco-friendly release, singling out the birds, the budding flowers, the trees, the air, and the moon in the sky as fit subjects to be framed in musical fugues. With the many overdubbed exotic (to Western ears) instruments such as the Piri, the Saenghwang, and the Yanggeum sitting alongside the flutes, percussion, and bells, this record certainly sounds unusual and indeed delightful, but I would tend to categorise it as contemporary classical rather than any form of traditional music. Impressive arrangements, admirable simplicity, and flawless execution, and she has worked hard to tell an “evolution” story in the sequencing of the tunes. Very accessible; even critics at The Guardian like her music. (05/02/2025)
