classical

Body Sound is the debut from a Chicago trio who have paired off before in various combinations but never as a three. The method is improvise first, sculpt later: string and vocal sessions recorded across three locations, then run through analogue tape loops and effects before being recombined into eleven short pieces.

Some of it is very graceful. “dawn | pulse” opens in clear Max Richter territory. Others go in different directions: “burning | counting (sleeping)” gets agitated and screechy, and “cough | laugh” sets pizzicato plucks against a slowed, smeared swell of strings—the most overtly experimental moment. Cinematic while never becoming background noise.