Music I'm checking out! - March 2026

It's March, don't pinch me!

I was going to try a different style of post in the month of February, and the timing just didn't feel right. Nonetheless, this month was a great month of listening!

To cover the usual groundwork, my criteria:

1. Genre does not matter, good music is good music!

2. I am inspired by a particular element, sound, or form of the piece

As usual, I am not a music critic and/or somebody who is critically analyzing these pieces. The way I talk about these works will (hopefully) be very casual. I also take no credit for any of these amazing works, and am focused on highlighting the amazing qualities of these pieces! With that being said...

"Clocks for Seeing" by Anthony Cheung

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhhvSbgIJUM

I would not typically call myself a microtonal composer, and not necessarily a microtonal listener either. This piece though, might change that all together.... The first gesture in the piano with the strings just grabbed my attention instantly. The work is luscious and ethereal, using the microtonal harmony to its advantage. All of the techniques used (ranging anywhere from the detuned synths to the aleatoric figures) contribute perfectly and work together in exceptional harmony (pun intended). Moving from the arpeggiated figure at the beginning, the next bell-tone section is both patient and curious. The blend of the microtonality with the strings walks the fine line between consonance and dissonance. The next section certainly feels more light-hearted and improvised, a complete contrast from the beginning of the piece. This section after though flows so perfectly out of the "drone music" that the gestures and figures make sense. Some composers would probably take the first 4 minutes and write a whole 30 minute work out of it, but I enjoy that Cheung keeps it moving and interesting. Though the first entrance of the ascending 4ths seem a bit abrupt, it asserts itself as a bold new idea which is explored through the timbral accompaniment and microtonal tinge. The return to the ambient music at the start of the III. movement is yet another pleasant palette cleanser. Something I haven't mentioned yet with this ensemble, is how seamlessly the instruments flow in and out of each other. The string trio, while retaining individuality in some ideas, blend flawlessly with these cascading harmonic ideas, and the same can be said of the clarinet and flute. The rising scale figures that take place, are reminiscent of the ascending fourth motive but also give a feeling of this reaching towards the stars (who knows if that's what he was going for but it's cool nonetheless). In the ending section, a lot of figures return again, including the ascending fourth motive. Despite the return of elements, I really enjoy how the recap does not overstay its welcome and just thins out into the air as the piece resolves.

Overall, this is a beautifully written composition that works with microtonality (quite frankly) better than I can imagine, which is of course all brought to life with an awesome performance by the Talea Ensemble!

If I had one sentence:

Anthony Cheung's "Clocks for Seeing" beautifully and exquisitely works with microtonality in a way which highlights his luscious approach to harmony and vibrant musical figures.

Telescope by Tennyson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENzraIWjJQg

Ah Tennyson, one of my favorite electronic music producers (please note that Tennyson is comprised of Luke and Tess Pretty but for sake of discussion, will refer to Tennyson as one identity). I first heard their music about a year ago with "Dolphin," this off-beat, quirky, fun, and memorable electronic piece. I check out their work from time to time (particularly from their recent record) but I came across their EP Telescope from 2019. This ended up being a really enjoyable listen, containing some of the signature idioms and sounds from the group while being quite emotional. I feel that sometimes, electronic music can alienate itself from feeling or emotion and just try to "rave out" (you can already tell I'm not too hip to this world lol). Luke from Tennyson actually said the same thing in an interview, possibly why I like their music so much.

The first track "Telescope" has a fun light-hearted energy which contains a rich array of sounds creating an active backdrop of sound (a quality common in a lot of Tennyson pieces). The echo/dryness of the vocal and its use of autotune are quite varied throughout which helped keep me engaged sonically. "You" starts out with this beautiful 5/8 guitar riff which grows into other organic and imitative mallet percussion as the groove and verse builds. The chorus of this song feels reminiscent of a mid 2010s pop song (I say that in a good way) yet holds the 5/8 groove (YESSSS... something not in 4/4 for once!). "Kaonashi" opens up with this beautiful ambient soundscape, before moving towards a chill piano/lo-fi-ish feel. Like lots of Tennyson, even if it feels like lo-fi, the asymmetrical feel for the drums give this track lots of character. The entrance of the synths is quite satisfying, which contrast the natural accordion, piano, and percussion sounds. In some way "Collapse" is the most traditional sounding electronic pop song, but it still contains some of Tennyson's signature soundscapes. "Virgil" returns into this raw and transparent soundworld featuring muted vocals and a lo-fi feel. The last track "Sleepwalk" is my personal favorite and ends the album on a gorgeous note. This track feels like a beautiful mix of ambient music and film score, and is a piece I wish I could absorb forever (metaphorically).

If you couldn't tell, I had a great time listening to this EP and felt a wide range of emotions from just over 20 minutes of music. I recommend anyone, no matter what genre of music you like, to check out this fantastic EP.

If I had one sentence:

Telescope by Tennyson paints sound worlds and textures meticulously yet beautifully through an electronic medium inspired by other genres.

"Double Concerto for Piano, Percussion and Ensemble" by Unsuk Chin

There are pieces with highly polyphonic and dense orchestrations, and then there's this piece. Unsuk Chin's "Double Concerto" instantly grabs the listeners attention through this intense array of sound. One of the things I love about this beginning, despite the dense texture, is how clear the soloist figures are. Obviously, Ensemble Intercontemporain's performance and recording do this piece great justice, but the orchestrations are incredibly precise and measured. This ostinato-like figure of almglocken (I think), vibraphone, and bells (eventually) all intertwined with piano and thoughtfully embraced by the orchestra, create a surreal soundscape. In the next section, the texture is thinned out and highlights this new motive sprouting out of the harmonic series. Especially now that the listener is presented with some aural space (or just to be blunt silence), we can really hear how rhythmic figures are intensified and developed, which of course is no accident by Chin. The next section outlines this heterophonic idea with violin and the soloists. Yet again, this is just a masterful approach to orchestration and orchestrational development (if that term is a thing) of an idea. Out of this mostly "free" approach, we finally get some "walking bassline" half way throughout the piece. After the first half of the piece feeling mostly upper register focused, this shift to the bass instruments works great.

To be honest, I don't really have much else to say.... If you couldn't tell already, this is an excellently written piece which is incredibly performed. Not only that, this is a work where I could listen 50 times and still pick up new ideas and sounds. Obviously, this piece and review might be geared towards any composers reading this but, any musician should check out this piece (in it's entirety...) and then give their own thoughts. Trust me, it's a heck of a composition!!

If I had one sentence:

Unsuk Chin's "Double Concerto for Piano, Percussion, and Ensemble" is a wonderfully visceral and exciting work which exquisitely orchestrates its sharp motives and ideas.

BaRcoDe by Ben Wendel

Rather than bringing out statistics, let me talk through this first point. Let's start with people that listen to (love if you want to be generous) jazz. Out of those people, who loves listening to contemporary jazz (smaller list). Out of those people, who loves jazz vibraphone and mallet percussion. Out of those people, who also loves post-minimalist classical music textures.... I don't know if this exercise fully worked but you get the idea.

Ever since I first heard about Ben Wendel's new project, I honestly was a bit jealous saying to myself "Why didn't I come up with that genius idea?!?!" I've been waiting for a while to hear this record but the wait has been well worth it! The album as a whole has a fresh and modern feel to it, while remaining lighthearted and accessible throughout. Ben's composing and orchestration of harmony perfectly outline his distinctive playing and the dream team of percussionists perfectly support him (and each other of course). Going track by track, "Cloud" begins with this active and playful percussion texture outlining this steady harmony, one of the things I consider as a staple of Wendel's writing and playing (oh yeah, I hear those microtonal inflections!...). The improvisation on this track is flowing yet deliberately virtuosic, and the activity of the hand percussion works perfectly underneath the marimba solo (which sounds like Joel if I'm not mistaken). "Mimo" is another fast and energized chart which features outstanding motivic development and clarity throughout. The trading on this track between malletstation and marimba is also quite crisp. The next track "Olha Maria" reminds me of Steps Ahead with Michael Brecker and Mike Maneri at the forefront. I think it has to do with the use of high vibraphone harmonies in addition to lots of electronic reverb. The melody is careful and the track feels loving, almost like a lullaby (I say that in a good way). "Repeat After Me" introduces a more dry and rhythmic vamp which sharply contrasts much of the previous resonance (which is bound to happen with 4 vibraphonists). The trading on this track is electric and groovy with different instruments and timbres having a say. The next track "Birds Ascend" grabs the listener with a fast "jig-like" figure which works great with mallet percussion, and is even better with saxophone occasionally layered above this figure. This track specifically includes the sound of a hand-muted marimba, which made me happy to hear one of my favorite extended techniques. The last track "Lonely One" is reflective in ways that most of this album isn't necessarily reflective. The whistled melodies and bowing above the vibraphone ostinato creates this ethereal quality which works great as a (dare I say) surprising way to close the record.

Like I previously inferred, I feel like I am literally the hyper-specific target audience including maybe 10 people for this record, but it truly has something for everyone. Huge shoutout to Ben Wendel and the outstanding percussionists (Joel Ross, Simon Moullier, Patricia Brennan, and Juan Diego Villalobos) for their creative vision and passion that truly comes across in this project!

If I had one sentence:

Ben Wendel's album BaRcoDe presents a creative and inventive way of improvisation and storytelling outside of the traditional jazz setting, guided virtuosically through a marvelous sea of mallet percussion.

"Komorebi" by ARTEMIS

This past week, I was checking out ARTEMIS's 2025 album Arboresque. Many of the tracks had a very clear idea and were executed beautifully (including a unique take on "Footprints"). Ultimately, I wanted to highlight "Komorebi" which was written by bassist Noriko Ueda. The title is based on the Japanese word about sunlight filtering through the leaves. From the beginning of the melody, there is a relaxed yet bright vibe. The melodic counterpoint between the trumpet and tenor works very well, and the harmonic choices retain a nice flow while not just leaning into the predictable. Towards the bridge/send-off, the lift of energy works great and maintains the melody's identity as it gets passed to the piano for a minute. Nicole Glover's solo floats over the ensemble while also providing the intensity to propel the motion forward. Renee Rosnes's also continues this flow of energy into Ingrid Jensen's solo. At the start of this solo, the drums become more active and many figures feel more rooted in the time. A quality over all these solo sections that I enjoy, is how the band can seamlessly flow between swung and straight 8th notes. I feel this freeness is reflected in the title and the ensemble's approach to the work. The bass solo is more specifically swung than the others but dynamically resets the chart to the last melody. Like I mentioned before, I love the way Ueda approaches composition from an "economy of material" standpoint. The whole tune, despite melody or solo section, feels united through some short motives and ideas which relate across instruments and harmony. This chart was a very enjoyable listen and a great approach to the "standard" jazz quintet of tenor + trumpet and rhythm section.

If I had one sentence:

"Komorebi" by ARTEMIS uses a restrictive economy of material to construct a beatiful melody which allows the ensemble to tell a thoughtful story through improvisation and flow.