Mundum Renovavit

The Dutch word windstreken can be translated as ‘points of the wind’ and ‘corners of the world’. The ensemble consists of musicians Pieter de Mast on flute and saxophone, Kamal Hor on oud, Jörg Brinkmann on cello and percussionist Affra Mussawisade. But there are two special additions: mellow, brooding viola played by guest musician Oene van Geel and an acoustic chamber organ, like the ones used in Protestant church services, played by Sebastiaan van Delft. His organ grinds and gurgles, taking leads or filling in accents, sometimes playing daringly funky clusters like a Calvinist Joe Zawinul.

In some tracks the ensemble is joined by vocal ensemble Collegium Musicum, singing pieces ranging from the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat (a collection of late-medieval songs) to newly written material. The ensemble moves between jazz and Oriental modes, even finding space for some atonal free improvisation. Outside the choral pieces, most of the ensemble’s tracks are instrumental, but on ‘Nadim’, Hors sings a vocal based on humanistic Arabic poetry. It is an impressive vocal and provides ample space to all the instrumentalists; the anchor point of the album, it’s where everything comes together.