Creating free-flowing music that travels on the wind of improvisation rather than the confines of the anticipated, takes skill and inspiration. iyatraQuartet is amply blessed with both. iyatraQuartet's new collection of original compositions and songs called ‘Wild Green’ is an enchanting exploration of the beauty and strength of the cycles of the natural world in English, Occitan (medieval French) and Middle English.

 

Just as nature bursts forth with new life and seasonal changes, so iyatraQuartet’s fresh ambience on ‘Wild Green’ has been fully inspired by the natural world. Clarinetist George Sleightholme describes the setting for the album's inspiration,

 

“The creative seeds for ‘Wild Green’ were planted during a series of rehearsals and performances while playing outdoors throughout the year in the gardens surrounding South London’s Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses. It was inspiring to be surrounded by various stages of growth and decay, with the sun and moon in the sky above. The album covers the natural cycle of the year, focusing on spring.”

 

Performing together for the last twelve years – violin virtuoso Alice Barron, master clarinetist George Sleightholme, leading cellist Rich Phillips and global fusion percussion maestro, Will Roberts – fuse roots-based, folk and global music on orchestral instruments, with captivating four-part vocals.

 

Few albums are recorded on water. iyatraQuartet chose the perfect place for a truly immersive recording experience, one that would assist in capturing the beauty and wildness of the natural world. ‘Wild Green’ was recorded on Lightship 95 Studio, formerly a floating lighthouse, now operating as a securely moored studio on the River Thames, with state-of-the-art equipment and capability. 

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iyatraQuartet creates a mythical journey from the sea to the strawberry moon, from autumn’s glow to the sun and back. The music is steeped in ambient freshness, as especially evident on the standout track “New Life” on which iyatraQuartet embrace, 

“New life dancing in the sunlight/Taking delight in the equilibrium/The story has just begun…”

 

In recent years, all members of iyatraQuartet have become parents, which has greatly enriched their creativity, as is evident throughout this collection of original compositions. ‘Wild Green’ is iyatraQuartet’s third studio album and follows ‘This World Alone’ (2015) and ‘Break The Dawn’ (2020).