The improvised spirit is full of force for Jason Kao Hwang, who skitters around the minor acoustic sounds with “Soliloquies.” Just the violin – nothing else. His sonic universe strips things down beyond the normal, into tiny gestures. Quite lively, he avoids anything that could be considered conventional, opting instead for a more spontaneous, vibrant journey. On the avant-garde side of things, he expresses himself in ways reminiscent of the early pioneers of classical improvisation, letting other things define the music beyond the typical, conventional approach.
“At the Beginning” goes for staccato phrases, utilizing silence to its maximum effect. Going further and further up is the tense “Hungry Shadows.” On the curious expressions of “Vagabond,” he keeps the listener at bay, causing a degree of uncertainty in the proceedings. Fascinating rhythms from the natural world are reflected in “Spinning Coins.” The halting stop-go tempos of “Remembering Our Conversation” let a dialogue take shape in the arrangement. Stretching out a bit is the ambitious scope of “Where the River Runs Both Ways.” “Dreams Dream” has Jason play with echo, emphasizing the space his sounds occupy, like Alvin Lucier of the violin. “Silhouettes Lean Forward” features some gorgeous clusters of melody. Things go even quieter on the eerie “Encirclement.” Adding a little bit of lighter tones is the pastoral “Bending Branches Into Roots.” “Shards” features miniatures of sound that, when tied together, create a whole portrait. With “Before God,” a sense of reverence closes the album.
“Soliloquies” features truly inspired passages by Jason Kao Hwang. He amplifies the details often lost in translation, giving his violin a voice for pure poetry and unbridled expressiveness.
