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b.mez — Under Circuitous Skies
(Cuneiform no#, 2026, DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2026-04-12

Under Circuitous Skies Cover art

Somewhere around October 2007, three members of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic launched this side project in order to showcase their improvisational interests. At that time, the trio began a residency at Outpost 186, a gallery in Cambridge, MA, and for each session the trio would invite a guest player to join them for two sets of completely improvised live music. The trio took the name b.mez as a recognition of their roots in Birdsongs, and Under Circuitous Skies is their debut release, coming some nineteen years after their founding, though the recordings at hand were made in 2019. The core trio is Rick Scott (synthesizers and loops), Ken Field (alto and sopranino saxes, concert and alto flutes, percussion, and loops), and Michael Bierylo (guitar, modular synthesizer, and loops), and for this recording they are joined by Birdsongs founding member Roger Miller (guitar, lap steel, piano, electric piano, and loops). As one might surmise, with the lack of a conventional rhythm section, the nine pieces at hand tend to be somewhat on the mellow side, yet nonetheless full of melodic energy by way of the piano, synths, saxes, flutes, and guitars, and the lack of any strict cadences offer the players plenty of freedom to interact and set their own terms as they proceed. The opening title track sets up a backdrop of synths, guitars, and glissando guitars creating a curtain of effected sounds over which the woodwinds can deposit some scorching beauty; the tone and manner of the improvisations is always changing, which keeps the proceedings moving and interesting. A much shorter “Salting the Clouds” is the follow on, with shakers providing a hint of cadence, though the piece is mostly dominated by electronics. With “Cross Talk,” the group engages in a series of instrumental conversations as the surroundings become more dense and at times chaotic. A series of ambient loops forms the structure of “Cascade and Flow,” a gentle piece that shimmers as it follows its own trajectory. The closer “Prehistory Viewed from Above” seems to be built on a bed of interesting synth and guitar effects that support some beautiful sax solos. There’s plenty more here to pique the listener’s imagination and I can only give this my highest recommendation. If one acts quickly, there are CDs available directly from the band and from Wayside Music, although once those are gone this will only be available as a digital download.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Ken Field, Roger Clark Miller, b.mez

More info
http://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.com/album/under-circuitous-skies

 

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