are you now

“Entering are you now, the CD debut of the Robert Minden/Carla Hallett duo, is like walking into a sunlit living room only to find yourself falling through outer space: everything familiar is suddenly strange, and whatever footing you might have had proves pleasantly treacherous. It takes only a moment to make the shift from the everyday to the extraordinary: the calm piano at the beginning of “prelude” leads you in and a warm, wordless vocal bids you welcome, but then the keening whistle of a musical saw slices through the tranquility and the round tones of the piano are replaced by the breathy sussurations of end-blown plastic pipes and a bottle orchestra. One minute and two seconds later you are thoroughly entranced, and the spell remains unbroken for the next three-quarters of an hour.” Alexander Varty, The Georgia Straight

“The music contains a darker quality on many of the vocal numbers, with Hallett’s ethereal voice riding over the mood-enhancing piano work of Minden.” Marke Andrews, Vancouver Sun

“Puts the listener inside a nocturnal space, a place of dreams and yearning.” Michael Becker, North Shore News

A sensuous aural landscape resounding with an earthy resonance. The instruments are an orchestra of the unlikely: musical saws, multiphonic waterphones, blown bottles, floating bowls and yesterday’s toy piano joined with Hallett’s spare, intimate voice. A diverse universe of luxurious acoustic sound. This is an exquisitely delicate work of old sounds and new songs.

"wonderfully strange"

Alexander Varty