Agathe Max

Throwing off the mantle of traditional classical music, this French violinist has stepped laterally into the worlds of improvisation and solo sound experiments, but still using her violin as a main weapon. This first widespread release encapsulates an approach that pits spatial resonance/loop treatments from live performance alongside a love of post-classical overdubbing, à la Steve Reich. She blends these with traces of mournful melody absorbed from Eastern European folk modes, as on "Frederic.” Also on "Ashes of Broken Furniture,” a slow building theme evolves into an unhurried gypsy swing before layers of loop turn it into something more dense and fearsome. Both the title track and "Raw Bow” prove that Max is unafraid to dig into the dirt of the sound spectrum, pushing things into the red and the nearly brown, tone-wise. The combination of these elements makes for music that engages the heart, head and gut all at once.