Improvisor

In the opening, the music is subtle, airy, and yes — meditative. There are sounds, not notes, or rather singular waves of sounds, oscillating slightly and changing their timbral coloring. Toral is quite consistent in this minimal approach. O’Rourke’s accordion blends perfectly with Toral’s trasparent feedbacks. Then suddenly pandemonium breaks off — dry, angular screeching sounds followed by piercing distorted guitar, Toral is using his instrument with a rather cello mentality occupying low frequencies. It compliments Jane Henry’s fierce violin playing. In the next piece “Concord”, singing feedback with slight industrial noises create vast sonic expanse where waves of sound slowly pass through. Music remains in its meditative quality. Not too much going on in this space, but everything that’s happening makes sense and has an emotional coherence. Toral’s music in this piece is ambient and dreamy, but it’s ain’t no sweet.
Misha Feigin