Drummer/composer Thomas Strønen’s Time is a Blind Guide has always existed in its own dimension, one where jazz and chamber music, improvisation and arrangement, swirl together like milk and tea in a heated cup. Off Stillness, the quintet’s third album, polishes the leader’s vision to its brightest sheen yet. Having written the music, Strønen takes a back seat to its performance. Violinist Håkon Aase and pianist Ayumi Tanaka take the lead here, the former singing over the arrangements while the latter provides savory harmony beds and silvery counterpoint. Cellist Leo Svensson Sander and bassist Ole Morten Vågan offer subtle but essential support, giving the ensemble a perfect foundation. Their leader, meanwhile, contents himself with accents and the occasional flourish, becoming one with the band instead of leading them. He certainly takes a step forward from time to time – see the clatter ‘n’ thump-heavy “Dismissed” – but for the most part he lets his melodies speak through his musicians. This means expansive tracks like “Cubism,” “Fall” and the awesome “In awe of stillness” exist in their own pocket universe outside of easy labels, inviting listeners to experience them based solely on their own reality. It also makes Off Stillness TIABG’s best album so far.
