Curved Form (No. 11) is a sonic tapestry woven from slowly evolving cello lines and electronic delays. Starting on the very lowest notes of the cello, it ebbs and flows as it weaves its way across the instrument’s range, ending up in a crystalline cloud of harmonics. 

Written for and recorded by cellist Gabriella Swallow, the piece takes its inspiration from the undulating patterns of artist Bridget Riley and the sinuous curved forms of sculptor Barbara Hepworth. Evoking their sense of motion, repetition and form, it creates an all-consuming environment where waves of sound constantly layer, coalesce and dissipate. 

Alongside the original are three remixes from Mira Calix, Sarah Davachi and Alex himself - each taking the piece in a different direction. Mira Calix’s Movement in Squares remix references both Riley and Hepworth as it chops up the original into a glitchy, beat-driven track. Whilst Sarah Davachi seems to explore the negative space in the original, stripping away the layers to reveal the subtle inflections under the surface. Finally, Alex flips the piece on its head by turning its stretched-out drones into shimmering, pulsing synths.
credits
released August 6, 2021 

Gabriella Swallow, cello 

Andrew Groves, recording engineer 
Noel Summerville, mastering engineer 
Alex Groves, album artwork

Curved Form (No 11)

Trace I

for Violin & Live Electronics

7'

Trace I is an intricate and translucent web of sound made by gently layering up very fragile and ethereal material that hovers right on the cusp of audibility. As a composer who can only play the piano, many instruments still hold an almost child-like fascination in the way they produce sound and, whilst I know technically how they work, there’s still an element of magic for me in hearing and seeing them being played. In this piece, the performer conjures these tiny sounds out of the violin through just the most delicate of touches and bow strokes - as if their intervention is imperceptible and the instrument is speaking for itself.

Trace I was written for violinist Rakhi Singh and premièred on Tuesday 16th November, 2021 at St Ethelburga’s as part of SOLO 08 where this recording was made.

Trace I

Alula

for Violin & Drone

9'

Premièred by Daniel Pioro at St Andrew Holborn as part of SOLO.

More info at www.thisissolo.co.uk

Alula

Curved Form (No. 4) is the debut release from London-based composer Alex Groves in collaboration with pianist Eliza McCarthy. The title track was written for Eliza back in 2017 and this is its first outing on record, accompanied by remixes from Benjamin Tassie, Matt Huxley and Alex himself. 

Inspired by the visually-charged artwork of Bridget Riley with its bold repetitions of simple forms, Alex's Curved Form series takes as its starting point a singular set of musical DNA. Each work grows in a different direction but they all share these common ancestors. In Curved Form (No. 4), the aim was to create a 'blissed out drone piece made with hammers'. The pulsating chords gradually morphing into one another, receding into the background and allowing the ever-shifting resonance of the piano to take over. 

Also included on this release are three reworkings of the original. The Studio Version - created by Alex - is an idealised version of the piece. One that's impossible to realise on a piano but that can be created within the confines of his laptop. Composers and producers Benjamin Tassie and Matt Huxley also contribute remixes, carving up the original in their own inimitable ways. 

More information about the artists involved can be found on their websites. 

www.alexgroves.co.uk 
www.elizamccarthy.com 
www.benjamintassie.com 
www.matthuxley.co.uk

Curved Form (No. 4)

I'm a London-based composer working across both acoustic and electronic music, often combining live instrumentalists and singers with richly textured electronics to create hypnotic and all-enveloping soundworlds.

My music has been commissioned by Sky Arts, the Union Chapel, V&A, Royal Opera House and East London Dance, and supported by Bristol Old Vic, Ovalhouse, Spitalfields Music and Snape Maltings. I'm currently Composer-in-Residence at Handel & Hendrix in London and also an Associate of the LSO Soundhub scheme. My recent work has included pieces for Eliza McCarthy, James McVinnie, Daniel Pioro & Liam Byrne through my concert series SOLO and larger scale works for the London Contemporary Orchestra and Crash Ensemble.

In theatre, I work with a variety of companies to create sound design and original music. My work on Remnants by Erratica was nominated for the Best Sound Design award at the 2017 Off West End Theatre Awards and Sister - a collaboration with director Rebecca Hanbury as Hanbury & Groves - premièred to critical acclaim at Ovalhouse last Autumn.

Rebecca and I collaborate on a wide range of projects and are currently Open Space artists at Snape Maltings where we’re working on our next music theatre work alongside a nationwide choral songbook commissioned by Sky Arts.

My music has been presented at the Royal Opera House, V&A, Union Chapel, Rich Mix, Ovalhouse, National Theatre Studio, Stratford Circus, VAULT Festival, Soho Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Somerset House, King's Place, The Cockpit and Nonclassical, broadcast on NTS Radio, Resonance FM and BBC Radio 6 Music, and released on influential Icelandic label Bedroom Community.

Alex Groves

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