Chelsea Lane – Suspensions (2022) [FLAC 24 bit, 44,1 kHz]

Chelsea Lane – Suspensions (2022) [FLAC 24 bit, 44,1 kHz]

Chelsea Lane’s debut album Suspensions, released through Better Company Records, draws on contemporary, minimalist-inspired works to explore the theme of “suspensions,” both literal and figurative. Pairing newly commissioned works (by Ellis Ludwig-Leone and Molly Joyce) with Lane’s new transcriptions of existing works by contemporary composers (Thomas Adès, Nico Muhly, and Chris Cerrone), and a few staples of the solo harp repertory (by John Cage and Kate Moore), Suspensions is a delicately balanced, thoughtful debut. The album is a result of Lane’s interest in broadening the harp’s contemporary image: “I sought out new works for this album in order to cast the harp in a new light as a modern, versatile instrument capable of myriad colors, which I hope will ultimately increase its representation in both mainstream and more experimental performance spaces,” says Lane. She emphasizes that this requires a change in emphasis and interpretation as a performer: “I aim through releasing this album to contribute to the redefinition of ‘virtuosic’ pieces by shifting listeners’ attention to the smaller subtleties of musical phrasing and timbre.” While primarily a solo harp album, Lane is joined on piano by Ludwig-Leone (of San Fermin) for his work “Processional,” as well as Nathan Schram (of the Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet) on viola for Ludwig-Leone’s eponymous “Suspensions.”