Aeriform - 2022 Danish Barkhausen label 12-track LP

There is a certain undeniable alchemy in the air when the Crush String Collective come together. Playing with the magic of the moment, the Copenhagen-based ensemble of seasoned instrumentalists develop deep and impassioned soundscapes through their non-hierarchical group improvisations. While firmly rooted in chamber music traditions, the ensemble has broken with the strict “classical” framework to explore space and texture in spontaneous interplay.


Their debut release, Aeriform, tells stories of growth and collapse. Taking its name from the volatile movements of light and air, like micro-universes unfolding across time as they coalesce and dissolve again. A sonic reflection of Scandinavia's ever-changing seasons, the album is an emblem of the cycles of life, the natural world and our constantly fluctuating emotional landscapes.

Nordic titles like Isbre (“glaciers”), Aurora (“Northern lights”) and Nymphalidae (“butterflies”) show the ensemble's fascination with the transmutation of natural phenomena into sound, while Solhjul (“Sun cross”), Kaldet (“the calling”) and Prisma open a spiritual dimension that draws on ancient divinity and sun worship. Vivid and emotive, Aeriform's 12 pieces guide the listener through a vastly dynamic journey that paints a new type of post-classical expression.

Ultimately, the album reveals how powerful music can be to help us reflect upon the world we live in, and to situate us into a more holistic ecosystem. In this vision, Aeriform is not only an evocative and emotional work, but also a glaring statement of hope in the uncertainty of the Anthropocene.

Crush String Collective in their own words: With their combined 150 years of instrumental experience, non-hierarchical structure and homogeneous interplay, they bring the listener into a sudden crush on the string instrument's vulnerable and lively sound. They create music that ranges from grand string orchestra sounds to atmospheres of small wooden sounds and friction when strings and bow hair meet. 

Tracklisting:

Side 1.
1. Blooming 3:28
2. Waves 2:49
3. Intermezzo I - Lotus 3:38
4. Nymphalidae 1:35
5. Isbre 7:13

Side 2.
1. Solhjul 6:33
2. Choral I - Prisma 1:17
3. Svärm 1:00
4. Kaldet 2:18
5. Intermezzo II - Fetus 3:56
6. Aeriform 1:38
7. Choral II - Aurora 3:32

Recorded in Koncertkirken, 2200 Nørrebro, Copenhagen.

Credits:

Julija Morgan - violin
Maria Martine Jagd - violin
Pauline Hogstrand - viola
Tove Bagge - viola
Oda Dyrnes - cello
Ida Nørby - cello
Nicole Hogstrand - cello 

Technical Credits:
Pape Arce- Recording Engineer
Sebastian Vinther Olsen - Mix and mastering

Artwork:
Julija Morgan - Cover art, layout