CD review: Michele Rabbia, Gianluca Petrella, Eivind Aarset – Lost River 2019: Video, CD cover

Lost River is an evocative post-ambient, richly textured sonic event, and one of the outstanding beyond-category recordings of recent ECM history.

Drummer Michele Rabbia and guitarist Eivind Aarset had played many duo concerts, and Rabbia had also worked with trombonist Gianluca Petrella in other contexts, but this recording marks a premiere for the trio. Spontaneously improvised for the most part, and with mysterious detail flowering inside its soundscapes, Lost River keeps revealing new forms. Rabbia’s drumming is freely creative and propulsive, and enhanced through his use of electronics. Aarset’s flowing playing will delight listeners who have enjoyed his Dream Logic project and his contribution to recordings with Nils Petter Molvӕr, Tigran Hamasyan, Andy Sheppard and others. Petrella’s role as a principal instrumental voice will surprise those who know him only as a great “jazz” soloist with Enrico Rava and Giovanni Guidi; his broad range is very well deployed in Manfred Eicher’s widescreen production in this recording, made in Udine in January 2018.

1. Nimbus (05:13)
2. Flood (04:21)
3. What Floats Beneath (05:43)
4. Lost River (04:45)
5. Styx (02:51)
6. Night Sea Journey (05:43)
7. Fluvius (06:25)
8. What the Water Brings (05:45)
9. Flotsam (01:27)
10. Wadi (02:00)

Michele Rabbia, drums, electronics
Gianluca Petrella, trombone, sounds
Eivind Aarset, guitar, electronics