Lost River offers a captivating soundscape created by subtle and skillful sound sculptors in a beautifully abstract ECM Records session. Drummer Michele Rabbia and guitarist Eivind Aarset have performed extensively as a duo. Rabbia has also collaborated with trombonist Gianluca Petrella in other contexts. However, this recording marks the trio's debut.
Recorded in Udine in January 2018, the production consists of spontaneous three-way improvisations that create new textures and interest in a musical realm that often seems repetitive. Rabbia's drumming is free and innovative, complemented by electronic elements. Aarset's fluid guitar playing will appeal to fans who appreciate his work with Dream Logic and collaborations with artists such as Nils Petter Molvær, Tigran Hamasyan, and Andy Sheppard.
Petrella's position as the leading instrumental voice will surprise those who know him only as an outstanding jazz soloist from projects with Enrico Rava and Giovanni Guidi. His versatile expressiveness is showcased particularly well in Manfred Eicher's large-scale production. Released in 2019, the album continuously reveals new forms through mysterious details within its post-ambient, richly structured soundscape.