Garlanded graduates of Leeds College of Music (now Conservatoire), where they met, guitarist Kieran Gunter and pianist Chris Bland draw plentiful inspiration from American fusioneer Pat Metheny on this group debut, which features, among others, reeds player Dom Pusey on most cuts. There’s a similar willingness to embrace assorted styles on this set of originals, with prog-rock, synth and vocals incorporated into some bold, straight-ahead playing.
The celebrated Catalan architect of the title is the muse behind just one track – an intricate group arrangement that’s primarily a showcase for Gunter’s spiky guitar. Kirkstall Abbey, a ruined but picturesque Cistercian monastery just outside Leeds, is the source for an almost pastoral piece led by Bland’s piano before mutating into a growling, full band blowout. At 10 minutes, Ruby is the record’s longest number and one of its most intriguing, incorporating a poised vocal by Tara Minton that repeats with two more singers in sync. The other vocal track, Haflinger, is likewise an elegant Minton outing, beautifully supported by Pusey on bass clarinet, and let down only by a cliche such as “a land… where all your dreams will come true”. Il Ragno Della Tomba (The Spider of the Tomb) provides a downbeat exit, again starring Pusey, an impressive presence throughout. A winning first album.
