- Kara-Lis Coverdale is a masterful composer. Her records blend modern classical with experimental electronics, while her live performances take them to another level as they approach chaos, with splatters of samples and dizzying left turns. But rarely has her sense of composition been displayed so clearly as on Grafts, her first solo vinyl release. On the surface it's one of her simplest records, but it's not easily done—she treats traditional composition methods with subtle electronic manipulation to make something singular.
Grafts might be the most conventional thing Coverdale has ever released. It's built with the pearlescent sound palette of Steve Reich's most famous ECM recordings and carefully layered. Nothing feels new or particularly experimental, but the way Coverdale puts it together is impressive. Starting with the bright tones of the opening, elements arrive naturally but with precision. The instruments sound ethereal, as they move with the gentle sway of wind chimes. Sounds ghost over each other and fade out, echoing '80s new age music. Occasionally, piano and other instruments bleed through for an instant, like radio static.
Amid all this, Grafts has the construction of a classical composition, with a defined beginning, a rousing middle and an end that fades out into a pleasing drone. The way Coverdale links so many threads—classic minimalism, new age, ambient and fourth world—could feel dense if it weren't so expertly done. Coverdale's interests in classical and experimental electronic approaches have tended to exist in separate spheres. On Grafts, she brings them together beautifully.
TracklistA1 2c
A2 Flutter
A3 Moments In Love