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.
But wait! For this is very much an iron fist in a velvet glove scenario. It’s not a lovey-dovey crush after all but a more forceful use of the word, where both tradition and expectations are crushed by the Collective (…) Crush String Collective demonstrate a near-telepathic understanding between musicians, and the result is a brilliant, confident debut album. The packaging may suggest a light, romantic approach, but this is thoughtful music, weighty and impressive. Maybe they chose the best release date: this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.
- Jeremy Bye, A Closer Listen
Maria Martine Jagd, violin
Julija Morgan, violin
Pauline Hogstrand, viola
Tove Bagge, viola
Nicole Hogstrand, cello
Oda Holstad Dyrnes, cello
Buy or listen to Aeriform on BandCamp:
it is no hyperbole to say that Aeriform does for the classical string trio what The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet (Free Jazz, 1961) did for the traditional jazz quartet. In both cases, without loss of discipline, the tradition is exploded and the possiblities of the kind of music that such an ensemble can create is transformed.
- David Keffer, Poison Pie
Listen to Aeriform on Spotify:
With the album title, 'Aeriform', calling to mind the very intricate nature and form of air, the music throughout the album's twelve tracks celebrate this aesthetic across a variety of open-minded and creative interpretations. The album's ideas and concepts are steeped within Nordic tradition with 'Aeriform' taking an incomparable look at the world around it - cherishing those moments of exquisite beauty while at the same time calling to attention those moments of (un)natural disruption.
- Imran Mirza, Blue in Green Radio
- with love from your Crush
Photo: Henrik Adamsen