Music I'm checking out! - September 2026
Looks like someone took a summer break...
Yes, I took a summer break from the blogposts sue me (actually don't sue me please). As I'm getting back in a routine of life in Baltimore, I started doing some more deep dives of different works/composers/genres. The following two statements have been in basically every blog post so far, but in case you are new (welcome!):
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...
Donnacha Dennehy: Limina by Donnacha Dennehy
Before this album came out, I was already on a pretty heavy Dennehy listening session. I knew this album was coming out soon (and the singles from it astonishingly beautiful), and I had already been checking out his recent album with the outstanding new music ensemble "Alarm Will Sound." I turn around a few days later ready to review that album, just to realize that his new record had released! In listening to this new album, I feel Dennehy's orchestration and creativity shines. I'm impressed by the ways he moves from more minimalist textures and figures to spectralism and neo-romanticism, while making every element feeling connected. In the piano concerto, I really enjoy the piano's integral part to the composition, which isn't just a virtuostic solo part. It is beautifully complimented and contrasted with the rest of the orchestra and the ever-changing blend of colors and timbres throughout is wonderful. The energy in the first movement instantly captured my attention and held it throughout with the interesting and unpredictable meter and color changes. For a piece that changes harmony a good bit, I love how the emphasis is still on the orchestration and colors rather than solely relying on the changing motion. The ending piano cadenza is riveting and masterfully performed by Eliza McCarthy. The next movement pulls the listener from the beginning in a different way. The beautiful chords with echoed piano notes provide a great sense of longing, and the strings balance with both stability and just enough motion underneath to propel the piece forward, even at a slower tempo. The repetition of staccato notes through this slow movement is particularly impressive technically and provides a nice contrast to the use of pedal throughout most of the movement. The final movement does a nice job contrasting this heavy bass figure with these ethereal spectrally inspired chords. The jumping back and forth between these two contrasting ideas keeps the listener on edge, and works very effectively as a closing for this concerto. Overall, this is a stunning piano concerto and already makes this a great album! Oh wait... there's one more concerto....
In addition to the piano concerto, this album features a Violin Concerto originally written for Augustin Hadelich but recorded beautifully by Stephen Waarts. The first movement comes out strong, with the violin taking center stage from the very start. Rather than introducing the orchestra leading to the soloist, this approach really allowed the virtuosity of the violin to shine. The orchestrations and textures supporting the violin are also perfectly executed. Each instrument has its own interjection and the timbres shape the direction and momentum of the music. Some of my favorite moments from this opening happen when the soloist plays a virtuosic figure and the section violins fade-in to double the phrase. Obviously it helps to have a professional recording, but the dynamic contrast and development thanks to this technique (and of course other masterfully done techniques) make the soloist crystal clear while also providing opportunities for the ensemble to be powerful and pronounced. The space left for the harmonics and swells in the middle of the movement provides nice contrast to the active and energetic opening of the concerto. The ending cadenza also continues this great harmonic idea through the piece, where lighter figures are in "G major-ish" and more intense figures quickly modulate to "G minor-ish." Despite the contrast, these ideas have unity thanks to the strong presentation of these figures. The second movement is just hauntingly gorgeous, honestly probably my favorite movement. This movement is also another brilliant example of orchestration and how the texture can be active, while still providing space for the soloist's expression. Like I said, this movement is just so transparent and beautiful that it just demands a listen! The last movement (as one can imagine) returns to a more energetic sound world but contrasts the first movement with virtuostic lines, focusing on the rhythmic emphasis and manipulations. This movement is titled "Reeling, spiraling" and the music certainly fits those descriptions. The mostly 2/4 approach with 16th note emphasis and ensemble bass hits makes it feel very much dance-like (which makes sense considering this movement is labeled as reeling). In the middle of this piece, I love how Dennehy manipulates the tempo to be approximately the same tempo as the beginning but changes the attacks and timing of 16th notes to feel slower. When the Irish reel enters, the tempo is definitely slower but it picks up in action, intensity, and of course virtuosity. The ending is raging and awesome... I love it!
Overall, both of these concertos are just outstanding and the recording + performance qualities are just top notch. Highly recommend checking both of these pieces out on this great record!
If I had one sentence:
Donnacha Dennehy's Limina includes two outstanding concertos which features Dennehy's marvelous sense of orchestration, motive, and texture, with an ensemble which enthusiastically performs the works with dedication and virtuosity.
"Machines for Listening with Bergamot: #4" by Dan Trueman
String Quartets done well are already epic, now throw in a hardanger quartet... oh yeah! This is a quite a beautiful piece which takes full advantage of the instrument's tuning and natural harmonics. The beginning figure, which then appears throughout the piece as a background and foreground texture, is vibrant and dance-like (I would assume somewhat similar to Norwegian dance, but I am also the last person you would want to ask about this). The rich harmonic world and tuning is instantly captivating both for the harmonic resonances and dissonances from this specific tuning. The longer melodic notes and chords sing beautifully above this texture and give some light and breath to this (beautifully) intense beginning. As the cello begins their sustained notes at the bottom of their register, we begin to hear more of the harmonic series & inflection from these unique instruments. Starting the work, we hear (or at least I think I hear) more of the upper partials and harmonies of this sound, and tying it towards the bass provides a new perspective of what is happening musically. In the later half of the piece, the pizzicato inclusions are a great textural change which helps intensify the momentum into the final chords of resonance. If I didn't say resonance enough, yeah just listen to this incredible recording by the Bergamot Quartet and see what I'm talking about!
If I had one sentence:
Dan Trueman's "Machines for Listening with Bergamot: #4" is a beautiful exploration of resonance, timbre, and alternative tuning which creates a visceral and stunning sonic landscape.
"Descending (Frue)" by Sam Wilkes
I think the perfect word to describe this piece/quasi-improvsation is warmth. I think this recording does a great job of balancing the different members of the ensemble and their unique timbres, without being overly complicated. With the well known virtuosity of these LA musicians (led by Sam Wilkes of course), the song is relaxed and complimentary. I love the moments where a synth or guitar will come out of the texture with a brief line or figure, which is always delicately balanced with the bass and brushes. Doing a little bit of reading behind this record, it's hard to believe that this came from a large live performance! The listener feels like they are right in the small pocket of this gorgeous soundscape (or at least I did). For the most part, this piece sits around the Bb ionian area, but never feels boring thanks to the incredibly rich textures and voicings from each performer. The sound of kids playing in the background is also a great touch, to add an additional level of humanity (if that's the right term) to the music. This is another one of those songs that just needs to be experienced, not just once but multiple times as one can see the beauty and warmth of life. A very philosophical end to a rather short tune lol, but enjoy the music regardless!
If I had one sentence:
"Descending (Frue)" beautifully illustrates warmth, thanks in part to its colorful polyphonic textures and patient yet fluid melodic ideas.
"Blind Spots" by C418
And if you thought I was done with the ambient this week, you were wrong.... I heard this song again last week and I kind of forgot where I remembered it from. I assumed Minecraft at first (which I was correct), but still had a bit of a nostalgic double take. After my recent review of "Descending (Frue)" by Sam Wilkes, I actually found this piece to be a great spiritual successor. It functions on many of the same qualities, in how each idea is presented tastefully throughout the texture. There is never really a modulation, but rather a steady emphasis of Bb major. Different synths throughout include different timbres which really helps shape the listener's interpretation of figures throughout the song. When I hear a certain timbre of synth, I can link that with other similar sounds throughout the work, whether it be pianos, flutes, or pads. Contextualizing this as I would be playing Minecraft creative mode, I can see how each song's textural variances would allow me to know which song is playing. This last statement might sound a little meta, but when the piano ostinato comes in with the analogue synth I know exactly which sound world I am in (or song). Hearing this song again sent me down a brief stop on memory lane, and it was fun getting to reflect on the memories from this piece.
If I had one sentence:
"Blind Spots" hits home to a nostalgic feeling both with its association to Minecraft, and the use of repeated (and iconic) ostinatos and synths throughout.
"Human Nature" by Michael Jackson
I don't know if it was the recent Michael Jackson movie or just happenstance, but I've been more intentionally checking out the King of Pop lately. I could recognize MJ's voice (I mean how could you not) and some of his songs, but it was nice just listening more specifically to some of his hit songs. I can't say I've reached the deep cuts yet but it's so fascinating hearing this style of production and harmony, especially in contrast with the popular music trends of today. "Human Nature" was one of my favorite tunes that I checked out and the thing that makes it stand out for me is its warmth (really Ben...another review highlighting warmth??). Composed by Steve Porcaro of Toto and produced by Quincy Jones, the synth pads, sequencer, and shaker invite the listener instantly. Besides the now iconic ostinato, the beginning chord progression helps invoke this warm feeling starting in G major and then moving to F major. Looking at this progression outside of D major (the song's overall key), it sounds surprising but its the perfect choice to add warmth to the progression, and allowing the harmony to sink in (metaphorically, since its lower). The guitar and doubling of the melody in the synths at the verse is perfectly balanced and orchestrated. There is enough ambience while MJ's incredible vocals stay at the forefront of the composition. At the chorus, the walkdown from D to G is just so perfect. I know it's a "standard" progression, but it's done so cleanly in the context of the song. The rhythms throughout this piece, though not super complex compared to 20th century concert works (lol), are tasteful and provide the perfect amount of groove and space. The syncopated hits in the chorus are groovy enough to capture our attention, but do not detract from the overall sound world and feel.
It's hard to write stuff about such an iconic song, but this was cool just listening to good music and absorbing it!
If I had one sentence:
"Human Nature," beautifully composed/produced by Quincy Jones & Steve Porcaro, takes advantage of MJ's velvety vocals, and accompanies them through tastefully incorporated synths creating a warm and inviting hit.
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