Vijay Iyer

Mutations
ECM Records

Vijay Iyer’s Mutations is a montage of piano, electronics and strings. Constructed out of fragmented melodies, the instrumental songs are ever-evolving. Working with ECM’s founder and producer, Manfred Eicher, in New York’s Avatar Studios, Iyer weaves together acoustic and computer-generated sound textures to produce a beautifully detailed suite of contrasts.

Mutation IX: Descent jumps and strikes with urgency, while Spellbound and Sacrosanct, Cowrie Shells and the Shimmering Sea slowly floats forward. When We’re Gone meanwhile draws Mutations to a gentle close, focusing on the rise and fall of the piano’s minimalist notes.

Earning a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 2013 and internationally recognised for his approach to improvisational jazz, Iyer is an exceptional talent and Mutations does much to confirm this accolade. Each track is punctuated with improvised interjections demonstrating not only the pianist’s ability to instantaneously respond to music but also his meticulous attention to detail. www.vijay-iyer.com.

Hannah Clugston