Max de Wardener returns to Village Green with an album of detuned acoustic piano pieces, performed by British pianist Kit Downes (ECM).

Drawing inspiration from modernist composers James Tenney, Harry Partch and La Monte Young, de Wardener’s intentions here were “to try and bend something established and monumental into something new”.

The resulting album is deceptively simple, belying the project’s myriad technical challenges, (pianos are immensely stubborn when subject to unorthodox tuning methods). Captured over a two year period, Downes’ enlivening improvisations do justice to de Wardener’s vision in creating an elegant record that feels at once familiar, yet otherworldly.

The artwork features imagery from North American artist Penelope Umbrico, whose photographic practice provides an analogue to de Wardener's work and is issued on CD digipak and deluxe 180g vinyl LP with gatefold sleeve.

"Enchantingly dreamlike.. de Wardener and Downes have created created an album of immediate impact and lasting emotional depth" - 7.7, Pitchfork