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Sid Hille Contemporary Collective

Lightyears Ahead

Album
profile-picture

Cover: Maarit Kytöharju

Album information

PerformerSid Hille Contemporary Collective
Released22.3.2024
TypeLP, digi
Players
LabelSatnaMusic
Producer

Sävellys: Hille/Hohti/Nikula/Viinikainen
Äänitys: Mikko Rothfors, Finnvox Studios
Miksaus ja masterointi: Abdissa Assefa, Ambience Studios 
Valokuvat ja kannen design: Maarit Kytöharju
Tuottaja: Sid Hille

Biography

Electronic soundscapes, jazz, and modern concert music blend into a magical experience on Sid Hille Contemporary Collective's second album, Lightyears Ahead.

Sid Hille Contemporary Collective, comprised of four fearless explorers, has found a realm teeming with possibilities in the intersection of jazz and modern concert music, evoking imagery of outer space. Alongside composer-pianist Sid Hille, the collective includes guitarist Teemu Viinikainen, cellist Markus Hohti, and bass clarinetist Heikki Nikula. Together, these highly skilled improvisers guide their audience on a journey beyond the boundaries of style and genre. The captivating performance arises from the chemistry and trust among the musicians, enabling liberated improvisation and taking risks.

The Sid Hille Contemporary Collective operates as an organism composed of four independent parts, dynamically shaping the sonic landscape towards a common goal, moulding it into increasingly imaginative forms. A review from Rondo Classic described the concert ten years ago with the following words: "A cohesive, intensely focused, nirvana-like event where spaces ultimately culminated in unbearable beauty."

For Sid Hille, it's crucial to find a spontaneous space in music and during concerts, which he seizes. "When a musician improvises or performs a composer's written structure, they make decisions in a fraction of a second," he explains. "Decisions about their own playing, intensity, shaping of a single note at a specific moment, and the overall structure of the piece – all while reacting to the collective performance."

The band’s second album Lightyears Ahead follows their well-received debut album Outer Space in 2014. The album consists of a single long piece divided into two parts for the A and B sides of the record. The composition takes listeners on a journey through edgy improvisational bursts as well as calm eddies. Different landscapes, moods, and events emerge naturally and organically from the music's flow.

The creation process of the new album aptly reflects the spontaneous nature and adventurous spirit of the collective. After completing the music recordings for Saara Cantell's film Sisters at Finnvox Studios, Hille had about an hour of studio time left. Remaining in the studio with Hille were Markus Hohti, Heikki Nikula, and Teemu Viinikainen – in other words, the Sid Hille Contemporary Collective. On a whim, they decided to record something together.

"The old magic was definitely still there, and we played continuously for 34 minutes. There wasn't a single note too many or too few in the end result. It was perfect," Hille enthuses. "We just had to make an album, even though it wasn't originally planned."

Tracklist

  1. LIGHTYEARS AHEAD part 1
  2. LIGHTYEARS AHEAD part 2