The Crossing release their latest album, Ochre, via Navona Records. The release album incorporates new works by three composers. The performances are both rigorous and supple, moving from the intriguing, foggy textures of George Lewis to Caroline Shaw’s primarily wordless, quiet contemplation of the Earth, to Ayanna Woods’ inspired determination to live in a better world. This is The Crossing’s 13th release on Navona Records...

Whilst I'm not normally a fan of contemporary classical music, unless it's grounded in traditional composition styles, The Crossing's new release, Ochre, delivers some interesting pieces.

The first two composers work really didn't do much for me. Ayanna Woods' 'Shift' and George Lewis' 'A Cluster of Instincts' were a bit of a chore to sit through. The off key and painfully jarring segments just made me want to roll my eyes and yawn. For me, when you have an ensemble like The Crossing at your disposal, asking them to perform atonally is, to my mind, an insult to their skills and years of training.

Thankfully Caroline Shaw's 'Ochre' takes up the majority of the runtime and it's a wonderfully layered and beautifully performed work.

Of the album's 11 tracks (44 min, 30 sec) 'Ochre: I. Siderite' is one of the standout moments for me. This beautifully showcases The Crossings talents as an ensemble with minimalist instrumentation. This track is ethereal and really captivates the imagination.

The closing 'Ochre: VII. Goethite' is a wonderful way to conclude the proceedings, being mysterious and relaxing.

7

Darren Rea