Starling showcases an unusual combination of musicians. The trio of violin, trombone with effects, and EWI or soprano saxophone are treated as trifectas of melody-makers, switching between different acoustic and electronic mixtures with each track. Most of the album starts with set, improvised textures. These range from simple acoustic directives, such as playing long tones, to more abstract parameters, such as each artist having to “go against'' each other. In addition, each artist performs one solo as interludes (tracks 4, 6, and 8), highlighting themselves as an individual before recombining into the fabric of the group. The trio leans into the compelling strength of its soaring sounds, which Colón described during recording as feeling “like a flock of starlings murmuring in the sky”.
Starling beckons with its sincerity and bold sentimentality that Lim embraces in all its unfettered glory. It is a statement that causes reflection upon the identity of artists like her, an Asian woman in a field controlled by white men, a field weighted by narrow viewpoints on who Asian women can be. On all levels, Starling demands the right to self-determine, to be the driver of one’s own story, and to say, without apology, who you are.
No comments:
Post a Comment