Whorls

Jeremy Kittel's last album, Chasing Sparks, is one of the most perfect fiddle albums you could ever hope to hear. Since its release in 2010, I've been waiting for a follow-up – and finally here it is. Whorls is the debut by Kittel's contemporary string quartet and again he shows that he's a master of navigating an ideal route through many genres. It's one thing to seek a space between classical and folk, bluegrass and jazz, but it's another thing altogether to make it seem effortless. Kittel's quartet, comprising mandolin phenomenon Josh Pinkham, guitarist Quinn Bachard, cellist Nathaniel Smith and hammered dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman, do just that. The interplay between the musicians works stunningly to create, release and recycle tension. This is evident from the opening track ‘Pando’, which bristles with nervous energy. All the instruments, however, have moments where they come to prominence. On ‘Chrysalis’, for example, it's the hammered dulcimer that gives the tune all of its character. The final track ‘Nethermead’, on which Kittel shows off his singing expertise, has the lazy feel of a river reaching the end of its course. Whorls traverses multiple genres and finds a sweet spot.