Ka Baird - Brooding Exercises I (Second Movement) (2021)

Ever unpredictable improvisor Ka Baird fixes on solo piano keys in a starkly sombre, hour-long work for Longform Editions, joining an illustrious cast of contributors to the Preservation series
After cropping up on our radar with some remarkable solo albums in recent years, namely ‘Sapropelic Pycnic’ and ‘Respires’, Ka Baird follows a pensive but purposeful stream of thought on ‘Brooding Exercises I (Second Movement)’, mostly lurking around the lower end notes with slow, almost forceful progression, gradually adding slivers of vocal and electronics that grow like fur and sweat on the surface of the keys.
When lighter notes and slightly more playful rhythms do arrive, their presence is felt by contrast, but the piece always sustains its brooding nature, leading to lengthening lacunæ in the latter stages and a jabbing, almost hammering resolution that leaves us feeling perplexed and somehow calm but restless.