9 Horses | Omegah [double gatefold vinyl]
9 Horses | Omegah [double gatefold vinyl]
“The new release was six years in the making, and it shows in its ambitious scope. Acoustic, electric, and electronic textures merge organically in the eight compositions, with sensitivity to arrangement as key as the writing. Jazz is present in the spiritedness of the improvisations, but there's classical too and also elements of rock, prog, and electronica. Rather than get sidetracked by futile attempts at categorizing, one's best advised to go where the music leads and simply enjoy a seventy-seven-minute ride that's ever scenic and always stimulating. As diverse as the pieces are, recurring motives establish an underlying connectedness, however subtle it might be… The compositions are credited to Brent, but the element most critical to the trio's identity is Caswell. If she hadn't already distinguished herself in so many ways before it, her playing on Omegah would qualify as a star-making turn. The genre-transcending character of the material is matched by her versatility and virtuosity—check out the glorious solos she delivers on “Max Richter's Dreams” and “let's just make it me and you.” – Textura