Justina Repeckaite - Tapestries [Music Information Centre Lithuania 127]

Released via the ever active Lithuanian cultural hub and institution that is the Music Information Centre Lithiuania on May 18th, 2k26 is "Tapestries", an eight compositions and roughly 70 minutes spanning werkschau and a major showcase of the rather outstanding career of composer Justina Repeckaite throughout the twelve years period from 2012 to 2024. Arranged as an album and not in chronological order the 2012 opening piece "Chartres" for string orchestra draws the listener into a sonic landscape of intense siren'esque dronings slowly moving through the instruments mid register continuously re-layering and re-arranging into a rather unsettling foundation for the hard bowing movements to come before the subsequent "Incantare", a composition for flute and tape, weighs in a feel of rather glacial electro-acoustic minimalism paired with sustained, and seemingly slowed down, flute tones which makes the instrument sound like a flugelhorn or mistreated saxophone in parts, especially before it erupts into a series of playful and tentative movements. Following up is "Tapisserie" which employs an entire ensemble in a rather stripped down and reduced fashion, creating an intricate dialogue between shimmering piano, irregularly circling strings and dramatic stab repetitions, "Sturnus Vulgaris Cohibitus" for pianist and transducers once again showcases Repeckaite's feel for timeless, yet futuristic piano minimalism whereas "La Cite Des Dames" fully focuses on the vocal performance of a total of six soprano voices which create an absolutely spine-tingling and outerworldly realm of ever morphing and meandering harmonies accompanied by intense vocal outbursts. Furthermore we see "Velium" on a dark and well unsettling large scale sci-fi score tip as a full on orchestra piece, "Datura" locks in on the sound of a solo trombone, introducing a slightly more humourous, comedic and tongue in cheek approach in its conversation between instrument and human voice before "La Mue", the most recent and in terms of instrumentation most complex work on here - written for: serpent, children's choir, and electronics - brings forth an epic and highly fascinating mixture of experimental electronic x electro-acoustic music and ethereal vocalisms for those who know. Quite a journey, this album is. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!