Label: ESP-Disk
Personnel - Thollem McDonas: piano.
British pianist and composer Thollem McDonas, renowned for his rhythmically inventive and genre-defying style, reaches new heights of eloquence in Infinite-Sum Game, a solo album recorded live in Italy. This meticulously calibrated outing feels like McDonas is cracking his own code, offering a deeply engaging experience.
“When Only Knows” offers a modern stride piano imbued with crosscurrents and intricate parallelism. “All the Creatures” broadens the spectrum with range, ending quietly after a tempestuous climax. “From Why We Came” presents a perceptible melodic narrative with hypnotic pulses and bluesy wallops.
The prepared piano textures of “Gathering Gatherers” overflow with world folk melodies, while “Sunset Nomad” fiercely deconstructs classical themes with McDonas’ signature agility. “Symbi Oasis”, a title hinting at ‘symbiosis’, whimsically integrates classical, Spanish, blues, jazz, and rock ’n’ roll elements into a cohesive and efficient tapestry. The album’s darker tones emerge in the minimalistic pungency of “Every Key Every Door”, while “Feel a Drop of Rain For a While” balances delicate sweetness with enigmatic poignancy.
McDonas’ iconoclastic tendencies shine throughout the album, yet they are tempered with warmth, mystery, and a profound sense of intimacy. Infinite-Sum Game deserves to be discovered.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - When Only Knows ► 03 - From Why We Came ► 09 - Feel a Drop of Rain For a While