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 tranquillity 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

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

“wonderfully strange”

Alexander Varty