Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Olly Chalk — In Those Remote Stars
(Bandcamp Resonant Postcards RP004, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-01-17

In Those Remote Stars Cover art

Olly Chalk’s new album In Those Remote Stars gives 2026 a great start with a compelling set of what might best be described as chamber jazz. Chalk and his cohorts present eleven tunes that blend composition and improvisation in a way that is gentle but lacking neither energy nor impact. Chalk plays piano and synths, and he’s joined by Ruta Sipola (flute), Daniel Kemshell (guitar), Hugo Piper (bass), and Corrie Dick (drums), with Chalk listed as sole composer. Stylistically, there are similarities with John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet, Chick Corea’s post-Return to Forever work (like My Spanish Heart and The Leprechaun), and some of the jazzier Canterbury-style groups like Gilgamesh and Kultivator. While I don’t have any qualms about calling the music jazz, it certainly doesn’t have much of a blues base, and swinging rhythms are not on offer. The melodies and harmonies are fresh and unpredictable, with surprises in every section, and the tracks are refreshingly concise, with only two over five minutes, and most less than three. Sipola’s flute is often at the lead, with a fluid tone that navigates the melodies deftly, and her solos are inventive and joyful. Kemshell’s guitar playing reminds me at times of Phil Miller, which is not something I get to say often. The bass and drums are subtly effective, though they don’t get many solo spots. Chalk wrote this music as a way to get himself out of the post-pandemic doldrums, and In Those Remote Stars is a reminder of the joy that good music can provide.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Olly Chalk

More info
http://ollychalk.bandcamp.com/album/in-those-remote-stars

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.