[TR24][OF] Julia Kent - Temporal - 2019 (Avant-Garde)

Cellist/composer Julia Kent's fifth solo album primarily consists of pieces written for dance and theatre productions. As with her previous releases, she uses looping devices and electronics to frame her intense, rhythmic cello playing, sometimes building up to turbulent, choppy waves. The majority of these pieces clearly sound conceived with choreography in mind, evenly progressing and introducing more dramatic sections at a logical pace. The stunning 12-minute opener "Last Hour Story" patiently layers dramatic, swelling strings over a plucked pulse, with subtle electronic manipulations adding some depth to the arrangement. "Imbalance" has heavier, more alarmed cello sequences and tense organ drones, as well as chattering electronic clicks. The furious ending seems to carry over the theme of conflict from Kent's previous solo album, Asperities. "Floating City" is one of the album's clearest, prettiest moments and a definite highlight, with soft yet slightly rigorous cellos joined by dreamy pianos and intricate beats. "Sheared" seems to use a very similar sonic template, but the mood is altered to something more foreboding, with strings swooping downwards and bells knocking out a faint sense of doom. "Through the Window" is fragile and sparkling, and its combination of beauty and melancholy is nearly overwhelming. The mood eases up a bit on the ghostly finale "Crepuscolo," which meshes floating, distant pianos with stirring cellos, providing space for solemn reflection. With Temporal, Julia Kent continues to craft cerebral yet accessible epics, encompassing a vast spectrum of emotions using a limited set of tools.