Composer/performer Caleb Burhans is set to release the first album comprised entirely of his classical compositions, Evensong, on July 30 through Cantaloupe Music. You can get your first taste of the album now with Q2 Music streaming the album in its entirety. (Player below.)
Burhans' compositions straddle genre lines — or, I'd say, blur them to the point of erasure — looking back toward tradition with choral arrangements like you'll find "Magnificat" or the psalm setting "Super Flumnia Babylonis," then verging on euphoric post-rock swells in "Oh ye of little faith...(do you know where your children are)." This makes sense as Burhans rides those lines in performance as well, performing with what might be considered more traditional classical ensembles as well as projects more oriented toward the indie-rock world, including his ambient music duo with Grey McMurray, itsnotyouitsme. The compositions speak to the tradition of minimalism that one familiar with Burhans' work might expect, but it also pushes that forward with surprising and unexpected moments scattered throughout the album.
The music on this album is performed by Alarm Will Sound, an ensemble who embody that ever-blurring line between genres. They have recorded music by minimalist composers like Steve Reich, but have also reinterpretted the work of electronic pioneer Aphex Twin on their album Acoustica.