Composer-pianist and creative coder Larkhall AKA Charlie Williams returns with a new collection of postclassical works. Say You're With Me is the follow-up to 2019’s The Sea Was Never Blue and finds the artist and algorithmic wizard deeply ruminating on mental health and finding comfort in sound...

Say You're With Me contains 11 (42 min, 50 sec) of soulful, richly layered mini works of art. It's rare I listen to an album like this and from the first play through love every single track... and all for very different reasons.

Some are slow builders which take a little time to get going, while others hit the ground running but what is constant throughout is the complexity of each piece as well as the attention to detail in the performances.

'Vincennes', for example, takes a while to get going, but the constant build grows to make the track one that you'll warm to. 'Eleven Japanese Streams' is another track that builds slowly in a satisfying way. This almost meditative in its approach.

Whereas, 'Cascade' launches straight in with a catchy and satisfying way. And 'Before We Knew' delivers a memorable quirky theme.

There's a lot of diversity on show here and for fans of beautiful piano based work Say You're With Me ticks all the right boxes.

9

Nick Smithson