Christen Lien

The cello's slightly cheerier cousin ― the viola ― steps to the forefront in the arms of classically trained violist Christen Lien. In the electro-acoustic blend Vol 1: Battle Cry, Lien's graceful playing and simple melodies are channelled through guitar effects and a loop machine. Striking like pensive butterfly wings, the strings stir, layering slightly anxious atmospherics underneath long, sorrowful notes and subtly expressive plucks. Dedicated to the "fierce urgency of now," Battle Cry's soft but gripping grace, while restrained, can work itself into a banshee-like intensity that justifies its name. Between clarity, "La Succora," and distortion, "The Invocation," the sombre notes and enveloping strings are seriously emotive and penetrating, making for breathtaking and powerful compositions.