Emerald - 2023 Danish ILK label 8-track LP

Light, shadow and deep-dark colour combinations alternate effortlessly in the soundscape of this new studio album from Jacob Anderskov. As on the internationally highly acclaimed albums with his “Agnostic Revelations”, we are witnessing Anderskov’s reinventing take on the medium-sized ensemble central to his overall oeuvre.

Sounding unlike anything else right now, this is new, innovative music. Compositions and improvisations oscillate between the spectral (here in the sense: the overtone-oriented, post-human) and the expressive (here: an embodied, soulful expression with a background in human experiences). Recorded in the legendary The Village Studio, the album emanates a warm, multidimensional soundscape; saturated and yet transparent.

The title “Emerald” designates both a colour and a gemstone. The compositions are inspired by symmetrical organizational structures from nature, which we find in starfish, coral and precious stones, among others. Though being not immediately audible, the inner symmetry in the music results in an enigmatic subduedness, not unlike our associations with the starfish and coral reefs that humanity is so incredibly bad at taking care of.

Consisting of 6 musicians who have criss-cross worked together over several decades, this new ensemble started during lockdown, and has now released their first album, Anderskov’s album number 30+. All compositions on the album (and more) are also published in a sheet music book, “The Gemstone Series – 20 Sonic Complexion Miniatures” (ILK Publishing). 

Tracklisting:

1. Smokey Quartz
2. Beryl I
3. Emerald
4. Elkhorn Coral
5. Ruby
6. Amethyst
7. Beryl II
8. Sunstone