Legendary bassist Barre Phillips goes solo this time around, mixing styles and moods for three pieces that are comprised of either four or five parts. The album works on the strength of the variety of dynamics and touches, as lyricism wins out over mindless chops.
The five part “Quest” includes long and textured brooding tones (“II”), melancholic tapping patterns (“IV”) and thick resonant contemplations (“III”). For “Inner Door” there is some buzzing and whirring bows on “III” that hover like busy bees, a yearning “II” and a clever use of silence as a sound on the tapping “I.” Ruminating bowing on “Outer Window” is featured on “III” while Phillips breezes on “I.” Impressively there is little repetition of ideas, and everything feels fresh and melodic. An impressive member to his catalogue.