Space: Embrace the Space

The innovative Swedish trio Space is a collaborative unit that consists of three masters of improvisation. Pianist Lisa Ullen, bassist Elsa Bergman, and drummer Anna Lund separately and together work in the border zone between the modern western classical idiom and that of free jazz. The thrilling Embrace the Space is the ensemble's second release and consists of eight dynamic, interlinked pieces.

"Look" starts off the album with an expectant mood as Ullen's percussive chords echo against Lund's angular beats and Bergman's resonant strings. The tune quickly builds momentum and culminates in a riotous interplay. After a brief pause, the introspective "The Immeasurable" follows; its mood brims with mysticism and the collective extemporization has an undercurrent of spirituality. Ullen lets loose circular phrases while Bergman plays buoyant and agile base lines. Lund drives with reserved passion, like a thundering storm about to burst to the surface.

The camaraderie within the group is sublime, making it simultaneously a unified entity and one which highlights the individuality of its members. The cinematic "Bleach" is multilayered and intricately woven. Ullen contributes a range of melodic fragments, some sharp and jagged, others rounded and iridescent. Bergmann makes her instrument swing at its own unique cadence and Lund throws clusters of polyrhythms to complement her bandmates. The results are dramatic and absorbing as each woman expresses herself while supporting the other two.

This cohesive recording closes with the provocative "Blood & Money." Bergman's bowed strings, Ullen's short chiming refrains,and Lund's crashing cymbals quickly construct a tense and unsettling mood. The fiery performance flirts delightfully with dissonance yet does so as a way to reflect the creative fury within, not just for the sake of form. Thus it concludes this rewarding work on a high note.

Embrace the Space is more than just a collection of superlative solos. It is a true synthesis of three distinct yet cohesive artistic visions. The result is unified, multifaceted and a sublime amalgamation of the individual and the collective.

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