Bassist Joelle Leandre and pianist Quentin Sirjacq, though of radically different generations, make of their collaboration an opportunity for a different beginning, where their work will, at least in part, stand out from their respective historic origins, rendering them no longer able to fully grasp it. Fittingly, the pieces forgo a competition of surprises, a proverbial game of chess that would have each player trying to push and trap the other, opting instead for a well-constructed whole that possesses an exhilaratingly hardy, composed chamber feel.
Each of the pieces manages to be both intimate and suggestive of grand scale. At times Sirjacq prepared piano deceives for its soft, silky chimes, as he later moves into a tough, two handed approach, while the lyricism of Leandre's neat patterns on violin become decidedly off the peg. Though refined and attractively impassable, it's also gnarly and encouraging of an active attention.
Both Leandre and Sirjacq continue to play with exactness and control, giving rise to vivid pieces that, though packed with intense detail, are as tight as a wheel nut. This formula isn't refreshed as much as needed, however, and later pieces live off of borrowed expressivity. While the first few tracks might come out of nowhere, a number of them appeal only in their recognisability.
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