Lush and expansively orchestrated the compositions on this studio album are by bassist Daniel Casimir whose earlier album Boxed In gained the accolade of album of the year at the 2022 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. There's a gentle softness mainly achieved by the way the strings of the London Contemporary Orchestra conducted by Uèle Lamore are used and caressed in the Giles Barrett engineered mix. A feeling of intimacy is certainly a factor even when more and more musicians are layered. It all feels a little brief and there are only seven tunes in all. The longest is the vocal 'You Know' that takes the direction of the work in more of a soulful direction. And yet the heart of the album flavoured by muted trumpet and responsive strings is on the thoughtfully appealing 'Balance'. A gathering of top UK jazz players are involved including Jay Phelps, Cassie Kinoshi, Binker Golding and Nubya Garcia who has a new album herself this autumn. With Casimir - who we have heard play live with both Camilla George and David Lyttle - are in the rhythm section pianist James Beckwith and drummer Jamie Murray all of whom provide a robustly springy undertow. Beckwith's Herbie Hancock-like soloing on the title track is one of the highlights.
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