Music I'm checking out! - May 2026
- Dunham Music
- May 27
- 9 min read
How do you know its May, when you can have a low of 35 and a high of 100 in the same month!
It's been a long month (or two) but there were some great musical selections that got me through finals lol!
To cover the usual groundwork, my criteria:
Genre does not matter, good music is good music!
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...
"Palhaço" by Fred Hersch (composition by Egberto Gismonti)
This is just a beautiful track, I almost don't know what else to say. The original version of this composition is great and very lighthearted, but this version just really resonated with me. There's almost something nostalgic in the way Hersch approaches the melody and how the ensemble supports him. I also think the key of E major works great for this tune, especially with the bass. The A/D harmony just melts my heart every time, and the slight break before the end of the phrase is just so crisp, and the drummer (Joey Baron) does a great job texturally guiding the development of the piece, whether it be brushes, cymbals, or sticks. The bass solo by Drew Gress is (yet again) just beautiful which flows into Fred Hersch's mature phrasing. I love that this track also never goes over the top, it is a perfectly contained and formulated 5 1/2 minute recording.
The last thing I will say, is that this is a fantastic melody by Egberto Gismonti. It flows in a song-like manner maintaining in a general tonality but including the perfect slight alterations to make it harmonically interesting. Not to mention, the juxtposition of 3/4 and 6/8 works perfectly for a chart like this!
If I had one sentence:
"Palhaço" performed by Fred Hersch and composed by Egberto Gismonti features a flowing melody which is beautifully exemplified in Hersch's trio recording.
"Sarniezz" by Angine de Poitrine
Time for some 3026 alien music I guess. Any that has been following the music industry (besides like pop music) has probably seen this video or heard of Angine de Poitrine. I think many musicians love this group because not only are they somewhat wacky and mainstream, but they actually have good musical chops (rare I know)! If we look past their genius and already iconic costumes and get-up, their composition "Sarniezz" has a lot going for it. First thing to mention, is how this duo feels like at least a quartet of a rock band. Obviously a lot of this has to do with Khn's looping pedals and double "guitars". From a compositional development perspective, this song is fantastic, the whole piece is a build of basically one idea, which is clearly in focus at the beginning of the song. The groove at the start is great because it doesn't give away the tricks of the chart. It feels disjunct in the off-beats while holding a strong downbeat, which is then clarified when the 12/8 actually enters. The microntonal riff is simple yet super catchy, and is a fantastic example of using "extended techniques" (I know technically this more just alternate tuning but my point still applies) for a specific musical purpose. The harmony then created by the loop and contrary motion of the higher guitar is effective in shaping the color of the piece while keeping its distinct character. The stop time is then effective for a similar reason, now solely focusing on the upper line of the harmony introduced. After this, the groove gets funky! After hearing the 12/8 feel for the song, the drums decide to move to a 4/4 rock rhythm. This metric modulation and juxtposition is extremely effective and perfectly builds intensity. As the harmony gets slightly more dense in the guitar loops, the piece keeps the momentum going forward. The drum/alien vocal break is a welcomed change in texture which showcases the drummer's consistency and groove behind the kit, as well as the duo's just overall sense of humor which I love. The ending just rocks out and takes no prisoners as both Khn and Klek just vibe out until the end. The closing riff is a nice way to change the melodic/motivic idea slightly while maintaining its core idea and ending on something bold. Yeah, this is actually click-bait/viral content that is legit!
If I had one sentence:
Angine de Poitrine's "Sarniezz" is not just a clickbait rock duo, but a great ensemble with a creative approach to motivic development within a rock context by using microtonal harmony and rhythmic manipulations.
"Sometimes" by Goldmund
This was another piece recommended to me by the great algorithm. I had never previously listened to Goldmund (and of course had not heard of their music). Some of you know (or could at least tell from previous blog posts) that I am a sucker for ambient classical music. I know the chords can be called "simple" and the techniques employed being "elementary", but I think there is a beauty and nostalgia in this style of this music. This piece, beatifully captures the nostalgic vibe from the first moments. In my first listen, I truly felt a gravitation to this piece, and remembered the "good old days." The chords are very simple and are stated in pairs, but are mixed very warm (which is to be expected with this style of music). The strings in the background create a great texture outlining the harmonics of the root & 5th throughout. As the piece develops, our sonic palate develops with the addition of more electronic/ambient drones which expand our register slightly. The incorporation of these sounds though truly create a warm and reflective quality without being overpowering, which I believe has much to do with the subtle pushing feeling of the bass. The ending returns in a similar dynamic and texture to the beginning of the piece.
I like the overall simple progression and development of this work. Like I said, sometimes the "epic orchestra arrangements" or other things of the sort will try to do too much where I loose immersion from my own thoughts. These pieces are great as well, but for different reasons. This piece by Goldmund is just a beautifully reflective and nostalgic work which allows me to paint the picture of my interpretation.
If I had one sentence:
"Sometimes" provides a beautiful and simple progression which allows the listener to paint their own interpretive stories and nostalgia through this nuanced composition and production.
"The Bridge" by John Daversa
This may be slightly biased (even though it would be completely justified without bias), but John Daversa is one of my favorite large ensemble arrangers out there. After watching some of the Essentially Ellington concerts from this past month, I got back into listening to big band charts (which tends to cycle in and out of my listening tendencies). This time around, "The Bridge" really caught my attention and interest. I knew this chart before I started checking it out again lately, but man if it isn't just epic! Out of this mysterious harmonic cloud, the motivic figures start to slowly bubble to the top of the surface. The introduction sounds just like the beginning of a late-night talk show, while also featuring a sick trombone gliss! The flute/piccolo use in this chart is clear from the beginning and is a really nice way to deviate from the standard big band saxophones. The playfulness and lightness of this chart is clear through the ostinato figures and short interjections of melodic figures. After this introduction, we finally begin to hear the melody. What I love about this melody in particular, is the specificity of the motivic cells (the two note short figures throughout) and how they are rhythmically altered slightly to make the melody sing while having a slight unpredictability to it. It is also nice that chords/comping instruments cut out for most of the beginning melody figures, a method that I feel most composers are afraid to attempt. Instead of these "filler" chords, Daversa incororates some great counterpoint and fills the spaces well. The full ensemble interludes are fun and really start to demonstrate the power of the band. After being teased multiple times, we finally arrive at this 11/8 groove where the ensemble is building up in register and power which is a great pay-off in intensity. The first solo section continues the vibe of the chart while providing a new spin, which is perfect for incorporating improvisation. With the band ad-libs you can really feel the energy and drive of the band which comes across great on this recording. Katisse does a great job continuing the story with verses that compliment the phrasing of the chart, and keep the drive forward. After a short break, the tempo immediately slows down which is another fun surprise in the middle of this chart, before it speeds right back up at the last part of the solo section. The insertion of guitar trading with the electronified trumpet is fantastic energy, in addition to the band and rapper continuing throughout in call-response. Of course, this part would not be complete without a return to the 11/8 groove.
Part 2, rebuilds our song using the same ideas, but we as a listener now have a new context and idea of what to expect. Beginning with a woodwind feature that is "canon-like" works great with this style chart and provides something new to our orchestration toolbox. The fake out of the melody after this feature is also one of my favorite moments in this recording! The melody comes in like we expect it to, but then the ensemble seems to wait an extra bar or two before they enter. When they enter, the melody resets and it's just a great example of playing with the audience's expectations! The ending drum solo in 11/8 is just a fitting way to end this highly rhythmic and exciting chart. When the full ensemble enters, the energy really pushes to a dynamic closing remark. Overall, this is just a sick chart I don't know how else to put it!
If I had one sentence:
"The Bridge" by John Daversa perfectly plays on the audience's expectations musically in creating a playful chart, while maintaining a clear identity through precise motives.
"Hope Spiral" by Ben Nobuto
This past month, I was finally exposed to Ben Nobuto's music. I am surprised I hadn't heard any of his work sooner, but his music is so recognizable and very much relevant in our digitized world. "Hope Spiral" is one of his more recent works, and a work I found very fascinating. First off, horn with string quartet is an interesting ensemble, but he writes for everyone in the group wonderfully, it certainly does not feel "miscast"! The beginning hits with the loosely frenetic counterpoint in the upper strings and horn are very effective. The use of harmonics also contribute strongly to this section (with of course the electronics). Through this repeated section, he creates a sense of predictability but by changing the accompaniment figures, meter, and offsetting some of the hits, he really forces the listener to stay in the sonic world. The next game-like section is a great follow up to the beginning of the piece, with fragments of excitement and youth within the breaths. As the repeated hits return, the aresenal of techniques employed by the strings grows and matches the electronics perfectly. Something awesome about this piece as a whole, is how the strings blend in with the electronics perfectly while not just negating the importance of the other medium (electronic vs acoustic). As the voice continues and the rhythms become more diminished, the scale passages stand out as marks at the end of phrases. The chord passages within the strings yet again highlight how well Nobuto writes for the ensemble as a complete picture in a way that is not just homophony. Another thing that becomes clear in this section, is how the aleatoric elements work to distract the listener from the constant of time while contrasting this with moments of perfectly timed hits. The glissando figures as the tempo speeds up are just awesome! Just a great intensification of metered elements with the addition help through tempo modulation, and the speeding up of the hits then transforms into a drone in space. This is the kind of thing electronics are great with, and they are perfectly used in this context, which is further aided by the horn and strings. The ending includes the extreme slowing down of the electronic hits, with the ensemble performing pads with hairpins, with the very last statement of the rhythmic hits from the beginning. I find the ending fascinating because it basically returns to where we started, but is now preceded by a piece of "craziness." This piece certainly takes notes from minimalism, but it incorporates it with new modern ideas and perspectives (for better or worse within our culture). Truth be told, the piece kind of blows me away and I'm glad someone is approaching contemporary classical music this way!
If I had one sentence:
Ben Nobuto's "Hope Spiral" is a work that beautifully encapsulates a modern digitized society through a minimalist lens, which incorporates a rich array of techniques which seamlessly incorporate electronics and acoustic elements.
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