Album Review: Landscape from Dimitri Monstein Ensemble

Album:  Landscape
Artist:  Dimitri Monstein Ensemble
Label:  Unit Records/Vertrieb UNIT/Membran
Websites:  https://www.dimitri-monstein.com/bio.html
https://www.monstein-ensemble.ch/about.html
https://dimitrimonsteinensemble.bandcamp.com/releases

Classical music meets jazz-inspired musings on Landscape from the Dimitri Monstein Ensemble led by drummer-composer Dimitri Monstein.  Track after track is special, tailored to a unique tale as the instrumental phrases roll in a fluid motion.  Every space on the melodic canvass is occupied by notes as they spread, layer and jump out at the listener, blazing a wide array of sensations that stimulate its receivers.

The scattered musings of the strings coursing waves along "Walkin' in the Dirt" have an uplifting resonance, monogramming reflective expressions that turn to clasical musings through "Mr. Winter," tangling and branching out, sprouting in different directions from the fulcrum.  Staying on the course of classical musings, "Monstein Sonate" is adorned in prancing piano keys performed by Franz Flückiger, roasting over the the whirling strings driving erratic reverberations through the track.  Provocatively, Flückiger's performance on "Being Different" sketch soft flickers across the tender percolation of Robert Pachaly's bass, producing a romantic tableau.

The gently, rattling beats of "Sea Rise" are layered in teased strings, emoting dramatically heavy tones that glide into the turbo-charged title track, slowly building up into a brewing storm.  The passionate flares of the strings ignite striking soars, mounting into a grand flourish.  The tottering beats mimick climbing a mountain that build to a staggering crescendo, projecting the image of standing over a precipice.  It's a gorgeous instrumental whose expressive frieze is palpable.  The blissful swells of "Waves in Stockholm" are clad in winding strings exuding a somber mood while the traversing keys move into a solo dialogue of waltzing musings.

Jungle-like percussive beats are scattered across "Cogwheel," injecting playful chimes as the teased strings lace around the melodic treads.  Droplets of glockenspiel sounding twinkles rain over the soaring strings in "Face," permeating a fairytale-like sonorous with a series of euphoric elevations.  "Black Sunset" closes the recording in willowy keys, alighting a pensive mood as drooping strings lasso around the bass notes burning softly.

Coalescing classical music motifs with jazz-inspired wanderings, Landscape is produced by Dimitri Monstein and mixed by Robert Pachaly.  Each track is uniquely tailored, emoting a verdant pasture of hues laden in palpable expressions, unleashing sensations that stimulate its audience while making penetrative statements.

Musicians:
Dimitri Monstein - drums
Alexandra Radici - violin
Vlad Pescaru - violin
Gina Corti - viola
Anton Vilkhov - viola
Jonas Willimann - cello
Robert Pachaly - bass, marimba
Mischa Podstransky - piano
Franz Flückiger - piano