Biathanatos

Biathanatos introduced New Zealanders Matthew Mitchell and Duncan Haynes to Leo Records' audience of avant jazz-ophiles and free improv fans. But this duo is somewhat atypical of the revered English label. Haynes' highly melodious, soft-spoken, bop-rooted piano playing has little to do with the daring music that usually finds a home here. Mitchell's delicate electric guitar work and nonintrusive electronic treatments even emphasize the gentleness of the music. Piano-wise, Carolyn Hume immediately comes to mind (her duo releases with Paul May rank among the easiest listens offered on Leo), while the guitar occasionally evokes Ben Monder's volume pedal-driven melancholy, especially in the opener, "Night Is As the Sun to No Ordinary Thing." The second and third parts of "Triptych" contain more abstract or deconstructed guitar lines and some prepared piano; "Metaxia" is more textural than melodic or harmonic. In the long run, though, what the listener remembers from this album is its soft-spoken attitude and its intellectual prettiness — the tunes don't really speak to the soul, but their refinement is certainly pleasing, like in "Les Fauves" and "Incarnation." The set concludes on a piece with gospel inflections, "Salaspils," a perfect summary of the duo's chemistry and deep understanding. Some listeners will find Biathanatos lacking in avant-gardist flair or substance, but there would be no point in denying its artistry, creativity, and understated charm. ~ François Couture, Rovi