★★★★★

I am always fascinated when something comes along that really makes me think just by its very nature. The Manchester Collective’s new record, ‘Recreation’, did exactly this. Just its existence is intriguing - a short release which juxtaposes the music of Vivaldi with Ligeti, blending them together with newly written music. The Collective very easily has the talent to release a fantastic recording of a Vivaldi or Ligeti piece in its own right - but that’s not what they’re about. This release is about presenting pieces, composed hundreds of years apart, in a way which almost magically unifies what is at the core of the music without anything ever feeling out of place. Some of it is purposefully jarring, perhaps, but the release’s enthralling natures takes you with it all the way on a stimulating journey the music. 

‘Recreation’ manages to summarise everything that music represents. It is a world-class performance, not bound by any one tradition but treading the boundaries between them to create something truly authentic and expressive. It is a masterful composition, not just regarding Paul Clark’s newly written sections but also in terms of how excerpts from various pieces have been chosen and placed to create one solid and fascinating work. And it is also, and perhaps most interestingly, an analysis. An analysis of the composers featured and their shared musical ideas, an analysis of how the instruments are able to express this and, by extension, an analysis into the very nature of music itself. Would you expect anything less from the Manchester Collective?

Some of the best musicians are those that can show off without showing off. By that, I mean that their innate sense of the music is so obvious and incorporated so cleanly into their performance that they have no need of adding anything showy to how they play, which speaks for itself. In ‘Recreation’, the collective’s music-making does exactly this. Music Director Rakhi Singh’s solo violin performance is absolutely breathtaking - standing out where it needs to and sitting equally with the ensemble in other moments. It is a true masterclass in ensemble playing and recording. Special mention must also be given to the production team behind the record. Its lush depth of sound and striking contrasts offer a superb sound world to get utterly lost in. Paul Clark’s newly composed sections also show such deep understanding of the original source material and are instrumental in the unified experience of listening.

The release is described as ‘dangerous’, and this is true but in the very best of ways. The Manchester Collective are constantly breaking new ground where a successful but safe endeavour would have sufficed. But this isn’t just forward thinking, it’s fresh thinking. To me, that is the most exciting thing about the Collective - if something old works, they will do it without being bound by it. Their approach is about serving and presenting the music in its most human way, and the result is an accessible, intellectually stimulating release which works on every level. I admit, when I first began to listen part of me thought ‘well, I know the Manchester Collective, I know what to expect and I’ve probably heard it before.’ I was wrong - as I have been every time I’ve attended any of their performances. Everything they do feels fresh. Even more excitingly, we have been promised further records over the next year or so under their label ‘Bedroom Community’. I can’t wait to hear what comes next. 

‘Recreation’ is released by Bedroom Community, and is released on 4th September 2020. It is available from manchestercollective.bandcamp.com with the first track available now.