Allison Cameron — Somatic Refrain

Somatic Refrain brings together four decidedly varied and at points, earthy-sounding modern chamber works from Toronto, Canada-based composer Allison Cameron. Three of the pieces are played by the highly respected ensemble Apartment House, and one by the composer's own band.

The release appears in the form of a CD on Sheffield’s Another Timbre, who always hunt down the best/ most interesting in the modern classical/ modern composition fields. As we’ve come to expect the CD comes presented in the label’s houses style sparse white mini gatefold- with on it’s front cover is an abstract/ busy painting, featuring blocks of colour wash, root-like lines, and blood red dabs. 
 
Edmonton, Alberta-born Allison Cameron (1963) moved to Toronto in 1989, forming- Arcana a six-piece chamber ensemble. In the mid-’90s she started releasing her own work, which seemingly dipped in both the worlds of modern classical and free improv. Including this album, she has released five albums to date.
 
The album opens with the title track- this is the oldest composition here dating back to 1996. The runs at just over the fifteen-minute mark, featuring just the bass Clarinet playing of Heather Roche. It’s a decidedly intrepid and droning work, which slowly shifts between bass bumbling tones and slight more seared expressions- it’s a nicely unpredictable start to proceedings.  Next, we have 2005’s "Pliny"- this comes in at just shy of the seventeen-minute mark, and features a wider sonic pallet of cello, violin, clarinet, flute, piano, and vibraphone. It’s a furtive at times slyly playful composition which slides between grand-if-haze string majestics, climbing piano melodies which shift between lumbering and sprightly, vibe ‘n’ plucked string darts, and gentle horn hovers.
 
Moving onto the second half of the release- and we have 2008’s "H", this just edges over the thirteen-minute mark. It finds a twanging 'n' loose almost earthy blues-tinged solo guitar, which is edged by a growing and lightly shambling blend of banjo, bass harmonica, toy piano, and lightly baying electric guitar tone. The album is finished off by the longest work here "Retablo", which is split into three tracks, and lasts a total of twenty-four minutes and twenty-two seconds. The piece dates from 1998- and is for cello, violin, piano, clarinet, acolyte bells and toy piano- the last two played by the composer herself. It begins by bringing together felt piano plodding mixed with light string saws. As it progresses we find furtive horn pipes appear, as well as sudden darts of bell drag ‘n’ strike, and fleeting toy piano naivety
 
There is a real feeling of both emotionally honest and ramshackled charm to all of Ms Cameron compositions. And as a release, Somatic Refrain is a sonically varied, at times daring album- which can often wrongfoot the listener in a rather engaging manner. If you’d like to pick this up directly, or check out the rest of Another Timbre's rather wonderful output drop by here.