Whitney Johnson a.k.a. Matchess, cellist Lia Kohl, and Finom member Macie Stewart have been working together in different constellations for some time, so it was not exactly a surprise when they released their first trio recording in August last year, Body Sound [STONE PIECE]. The two pieces drew on improvised strings – violin, viola and cello – and vocals that formed the basis for tape loops. Merging the improvisational tradition of their hometown Chicago with techniques established by Steve Reich, their music is reminiscent of early Hildur Guðnadóttir and Richard Skelton albums: somewhat mystical and ethereal, yet grounded in the physical and temporal reality of people making music together in a room.
This is, indeed, Body Sound, which also happens to be the title of their debut album proper. Across eleven songs of varying length – anything from 40 seconds up to 7 1/2 minutes – they further refine their not necessarily innovative, but nevertheless fruitful approach. The fact that all three of them work across different genres and idioms – jazz, indie rock; Stewart has even played on a SZA album – comes through whenever they switch gears from one piece to the next, punctuating long, drawn-out drones and wordless wailing with rhythmic patterns that provide more drive whenever they risk getting lost in the dérive. This is what it sounds like when three exceedingly versatile musicians execute a simple idea to perfection..
