BY KIERAN WELCH
the in-between
Sideband Collective
Self-released, December 2017
The second full album from Sydney composer-performer collective Sideband, the in-between, is aptly named. A sprawling exploration of style and sound in contemporary art music, the album ranges from fascinating to meandering, and traverses all areas in-between.
Leading the album is Short Circuits by Sideband co-founder Tristan Coelho. Organically progressing from charming rhythmic interplay to almost-ambient timbral exploration, the piece is a stand-out on the release, performed with virtuosity and pizzazz by the collective.
Fellow Sideband member Brad Gill’s Josquin Study and Katia Tiutiunnik’s A Requiem are two more highlights — the former a beautifully spacious and wistful vibraphone duet; the latter an enigmatic lament delicately coloured with eastern European and Asian harmonies, and performed exquisitely by bass flautist Jane Bishop and Brad Gill on vibraphone.
the in-between should be lauded for the sheer scope of styles under the art music umbrella it covers, and the musicians consistently perform with skill and care. However, the more avant-garde entries on the album tend towards superfluous length, or even musical confusion. Bozidar Kos’ Spectrum begins as a fascinating conversation between sci-fi synths, bass clarinet, and marimba; but doesn’t cover enough musical ground to justify its length. Peter McNamara’s Amplitude and White Noise also present a wealth of timbral interest, but meander musically. Brad Gill’s other entry on the album, the Pierrot Lunaire-esque The Colour of Blue Clouds feels lengthy despite barely reaching three minutes in duration — instead of using modernism as a starting point to build from, it seems like more of a style exercise. And considering the length of the album, it’s a little disappointing to only see one work by a female composer.
However, the album ends with a fantastic summary of the collective at their best. As the title would suggest, Roger Smalley’s Monody is based on a short jazzy repeated keyboard melody. Once established, this melodic ostinato is joined by a live synthesiser line, precisely tuned to elicit delicious difference tones — or sound wave clashes — from the combination of voices. With the funky melodic ostinato, first-time listeners are provided with an “in”, or recognisable musical aspect to grab onto. The synthesised difference tones then provide unique musical depth and excitement for many repeated listens.
Crafting a piece of music to contain these multiple layers of interest is no easy feat, but the in-between sees the Sideband collective write, commission, and perform a number of varied and vital pieces that achieve this aim.
the in-between could definitely benefit from some judicious musical editing, both within individual works and as an album. But throughout, it showcases the Sideband collective as formidably talented musicians, and at the album’s best, proves the group to be one of the most exciting new music collectives in Australia.
Image supplied.
