What's more beautiful than the sound of one clarinet? Three clarinets, of course � which is exactly what the fortunate listener hears on Keep On Going Like This, the new CD by the Clarinets. A group consisting of seasoned musicians Anthony Burr, Oscar Noriega, and Chris Speed, the Clarinets create ambient sculptures that elevate the spirit and offer a respite from the aural overstimulation of 21st-century life.

Recorded in January 2009 at the University of California at San Diego, Keep On Going Like This contains eleven tunes, ranging from under two minutes to eight minutes. The eleven songs flow seamlessly into one another, and at the same time contain an intriguing variety. The musicians tend to play their instruments in one of two ways: either creating single, vibratoless notes, or forming lines that oscillate along the clarinet's much-vaunted range. The songs mix and match these approaches, sometimes combining the straight notes with the flowing lines, sometimes weaving together three flowing lines, and other times merging three sonorous notes. Examples of the latter include the tunes "Drop Off" and "Everything Had Been Taken Care Of." These pieces are simply exquisite; the group offers pure, strong tones, and they allow ample space for the sound to stretch and grow. The songs are like Rothko paintings come to life: both art forms contain lines of pure color that blend and contrast and evoke silent mysteries.

Like clarinet pioneer Tony Scott's landmark recording Music for Zen Meditation and Other Joys, this music employs the clarinet's deep, sonorous core. And just as space is an essential part of Scott's masterpiece, the Clarinets also welcome space � and in fact, space could be considered the fourth member of the group. On their oscillating lines, the musicians never rush or fill up openings just because they can, and by diving into particular notes and touching their depths, the trio explores the stillness that exists in the center of sound.

In a world that moves so fast, a world full of noises that flash like neon, here is music that is not afraid to linger. Keep On Going Like This offers a shimmering field of sound and space, a province that allows the listener's consciousness an opportunity to experience afresh. This is elegant, intelligent music, full of genuine beauty and shining colors.