"Lately it seems like every year, when I look back on my favorite classical albums, I always think, "Well, let's face it: It's been a pretty cruel year, and this is the music that helped get me through it." I hate using music as a crutch, but it surely does offer a singular distraction. This year, the search for musical transcendence felt tougher than usual,"
"as politics and world affairs sunk their claws into me. Perhaps that's why I spent a lot of the year clinging to an 18-year-old Stars of the Lid album like a freaking life raft. And yet, the 10 extraordinary albums below did their part and more, buoying me and renewing my faith in humanity especially the immersive acoustic-electronic sound world of experimental cellist Clarice Jensen,"
"the hip-shaking rhythms of Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, the brilliantly blended rays of light emanating from the Vox Clamantis choir singing the sacred music of Arvo Part and a few new and re-discoveries from the Belcea Quartet, the late Sofia Gubaidulina and the effervescent Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Here's hoping these albums bring you joy, and possibly a little musical therapy, as we close out another challenging year."
Music provided vital solace amid a particularly difficult year, offering distraction from political and global stress. An 18-year-old Stars of the Lid album served as a recurring refuge while ten contemporary classical releases buoyed spirits and renewed faith. Highlighted recordings include Clarice Jensen's immersive acoustic-electronic cello, Gabriela Ortiz's rhythm-driven compositions, the Vox Clamantis choir's luminous performances of Arvo Pärt, and notable work from the Belcea Quartet, Sofia Gubaidulina, and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Clarice Jensen's In holiday clothing, out of the great darkness foregrounds the cello's natural voice, pairs subtle electronics with solo exploration, and reconsiders the meaning of 'solo.'
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