Singer Jessika Kenney and viola player Eyvind Kang have released albums of a decidedly austere beauty. Their music has tinges of early medieval ritualistic song and of classical repertoire from the Middle East. Its calm pace turns its gaze inward, hovering over a dusky stillness, over pellucid waters that barely move as a breeze of contemplation comes brushing through. Their joint effort Aestuarium (2011) is a wonder, with Kang’s viola tracing the melodic paths that Kenney takes, sometimes moving in divergent lines to create carefully drawn consonances. Reverse Tree was recorded at two live performances, with the duo supported by a modest chamber ensemble of plucked and bowed strings, different for each concert. Each side features one piece. Elm, on side two, has the ensemble further expanded with the bronze instruments of a gamelan, bowed and struck to radiate tones that shimmer and shiver against the extended lines played by the strings. Kenney sings along with the latter, floating on their quiet, slow movements as if gliding through dancing veils of polar light. The music may sound effortless, but it does show great concentration and deep devotion to close listening. Side one features mostly plucked strings, among them two electric guitars playing harmonics, lending the piece a silky oriental mood. This is emphasized by the variable vibrato of Kenney’s voice. Again, the pace is unhurried. Tones get spangled around the space, the audience breathlessly awed, without any doubt. This music burns with intense serenity.
