The culmination of two years of work and employing synthesizers, other electronics, and a 15 piece classical ensemble; N°3 is an ambitious and expansive work that is completely congruent with Vantzou’s aspirations. Lush and complex, the bulk of these pieces lie between epic drama and quiet intimacy, but are never anything but beautiful and compelling.
Throughout much of N°3, Vantzou employs a hybrid of both classical and electronic elements blended together into gliding, rich tones.Occasionally, some of the specific instrumentation comes to the forefront, most notably the bowed strings of a cello and the twinkling notes of a piano (or synthetically derived equivalent), but for the most part neither dominate the mix but instead are weaved together by Vantzou into a glistening tapestry of sound and tones.
On pieces such as the opening "Valley Drone" and "Entanglements," she places the orchestral elements more significantly in the spotlight.On the former, the bowed strings are utilized to create both gentle drones and dissonant, rattling and doomy passages of sound, intertwined with one another.The lighter ambient space that is generated by the electronics is contrasted by the infrequent but effective heavy drum thuds, resulting in an odd yet exceptionally strong balance.
The back-to-back sequenced "Moon Drone" and "Shadow Sun" both complement each other, unsurprising given their thematically linked titles.On both she places emphasis on piano sounds, combined with lush and gorgeous electronics.The former has an appropriately darker, colder quality to its structure, with electronics echoing from a dark cavern, while the latter has a more open, airy mix and glassy, music box like notes resonating outward.
Most of N°3 is consistent with Vantzou's previous compositional strategy of working from largely improvised and unstructured material, creating beautiful order from what could otherwise be chaos.The three "Pillar" pieces, however, mark a new development in which she composes based on more rigid, mathematically based structures.Even with the more specific structural underpinning, the songs fit in brilliantly with the remainder of the album.That is not to say they are indistinguishable from the other songs, exemplified by the mysterious, varied textures throughout "Pillar 3," and the more commanding, creaky strings-heavy "Pillar 1."
The aforementioned "Entanglements" is mostly defined by the layered electronic drones and strings, but moments of digital flute accompaniment come dangerously close to the Windham Hill new age bargain bin clichés (I blame it on a Yamaha DX7).Not quite as blatant are the 1970s sci fi modular synthesizer twitters and bleeps that appear on "Laurie Spiegel" and "Robert Earl," but those bits of electronic noodling simply stand out too blatantly compared to the rest of the compositions.
These moments are very much isolated incidents amongst the 14 compositions that make up N°3.On the whole, it is a beautiful record that draws from orchestral and electronic worlds and features Christina Vantzou adeptly borrowing from these differing sounds and threading them together seamlessly.This is such a multifaceted record, one that features such beautiful natural and treated instrumentation to excellent effect, and despite a few odd moments, one that does not drags during its 71 minute duration.
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