Houben has been releasing a veritable torrent of music over the past few years, both on labels like Edition Wandelweiser and on her own Bandcamp and YouTube channels. While one might say that there's a general sound-world she tends to inhabit, that of a calm, slowly moving music investigating subtle timbral variations, that's also overly constrictive — she has a lot going on. Wooley, in the meantime, though he made his name in the post-free jazz milieu and continues to work that field (as in collaborations with the likes of Ivo Perelman, Joe Morris and others) has also taken decided strides into the post-Cage world, working for a good decade with the late Éliane Radigue, for example, and now this setting of Houben pieces.

chanting ballads was commissioned specifically to expand the repertoire of the trumpet and, at first blush, it seems an odd instrument to carry Houben's music as she's tended to work with keyboards (especially organ), woodwinds, low strings, etc. And, truth to tell, these ears sense a little bit of uneasiness in the configuration, though perhaps that's an aspect that she (or Wooley) was aiming for.

There are eight tracks of moderate length, sporting generally descriptive titles such as (in English), 'Puzzling', 'Charmed' or 'With Amazement'; other than these potential directives or encouragements, the listener has no idea what, if any, scores were involved. Wooley, unsurprisingly in this field, concentrates on breathy, muted tones while also incorporating whistles, hums and soft singing. Sometimes, the whistles remind one (lovingly) of Antoine Beuger's keine fernen mehr. It's rare enough in this end of things that when fuller, "traditional" brass attacks occur — longer, held notes — Wooley generates a welcome feeling of temporary familiarity. I often find myself wishing that contemporary brass players didn't abandon that particular approach completely. True to Houben's normal practice, the music is spacious, relatively long tones sitting comfortably amid stretched of silence. It's perhaps more tense than usual; difficult to ascertain whether that's the composer's intention or Wooley's use of muted, slightly pinched tonality at times. I'm guessing the pitches and placements were established, perhaps leaving the particular sound attack up to the performer.

Overall, it's a set that combines a sense of peacefulness with a slight bit of itchiness, enough of a grain in there to not put one completely at ease. Good work and a welcome addition to the amazing catalog of Houben.