Elysian Fields | Swirling Flame
Released 24 October, 2025
Swirling Flame is the latest release from Elysian Fields, a self-described ‘genre-defying’ ensemble. This is an apt description of a chamber jazz ensemble fronted by an electric Viola da Gamba alongside all the other instruments you’d expect from a jazz ensemble – piano, saxophones, bass, vocals and some violin and double bass for good measure.
It has been many years since I listened to an album from start to finish, my usual music consumption consisting of an algorithm-defined playlist roulette. This album is designed to be listened straight through, following the intentional placement of tracks by the artist as albums used to appear on our shelves. The mood ranges from meditative to joyful, with everything in between.
From the opening strains of The Acceptance, an Acknowledgment of Country by Indigenous composer Troy Anderson, the unique timbre of the electric Gamba is at the forefront of this ensemble’s sound. Each piece experiments with the textures that can be achieved from voice, alto clarinet, saxophones, piano alike, and the interplay between them is what creates the ensemble’s unique sound. I cannot get medieval images out of my mind as I hear the open fifths of the Viola da Gamba, and simple tunes that move through the ensemble. The electric Gamba may be attempting to modernise an instrument that has existed for hundreds of years, but the makers have held onto timbres unique to the original instrument, even if they are occasionally enhanced by reverb and other pedals you would usually find attached to an electric guitar.
Highlights of this album include Tetris by Australian composer Alice Chance. She features twice on this album, and has a knack for writing tunes that you would walk away singing. The interplay of Matt MacMahon on piano and Jenny Eriksson on electric Gamba is particularly masterful. Dark Dreaming by Siebe Pogson shows off some impressive electric bass chops from Pogson, creating a repetitive dream sequence as the bass grooves underneath an ethereal electric viol. I also love the tracks like Von-Hope by Icelandic composer Hildigunnur Rúnarsdóttir where piano and reeds join the Gamba, and the sensitivity of each musician is on full display. Occasionally I would have liked some percussion to allow for some textural differences throughout the tracks, though the absence does contribute to the overall contemplative nature of the album. Suzie Bishop on vocals is stunning in Alice Chance’s Shadow, and the ensemble plays so sensitively behind her. Matt MacMahon’s November ties off the album wonderfully, featuring each instrument as soloist and ensemble musician.
This album officially launched on the 24th of October. Listen on your preferred streaming platform, or better yet purchase this album straight from the artist. Jenny Eriksson and her electric Viola da Gamba are the unequivocal stars of this album, and Elysian Fields are making such unique music that will delight and intrigue you.
Swirling Flame purchase details here >>
