Julian Arguelles and The Frankfurt Radio Big BandMomentaReview

Momenta is the follow up to Julian Argüelles' recent Inner Voices. Where that album revealed the English saxophonist's more intimate, exploratory side in solo, multi-tracked pieces recorded in the evenings away from the orchestra, Momenta is its big band, heavyweight counterpart. Loose Tubes' unpredictable playfulness can sometimes be spied, perhaps inevitably given Argüelles' role in that group. There's also a greater sense of compositional cohesion here. As a result, Momenta has much to recommend it.

You See My Dear is regal in aspect and assured in the richness of the orchestral resource which acts as its foundation. There's a moment, half a minute before the end, that's key to the whole composition. Every instrument draws breath, pauses and then sounds an unexpectedly oblique chord before swooning to its conclusion. This mixture of the assured and the unexpected is indicative of the best parts of Momenta. Occasionally though, as on Hi Steve, the music comes a little too close to sounding run of the mill.

Evan's Freedom Pass ratchets up the tension – and speed - with constant arpeggios, blaring trumpets and snaking sax. It feels like sitting in a fast car racing through the countryside, at least until the halfway point when our vehicle appears to slide around for a queasy minute or two before regaining traction and accelerating away again.

Skull View initially essays an altogether different mood that is haunted and crepuscular. After a lovely, fluid guitar solo from Martin Scales, handclaps and wordless singing introduce a thrilling, almost Hispanic feeling to the music. Mish Mash ends on a high note complete with muscular wah-wah guitar and punchy chords. The orchestration achieves a precious luminosity coloured by Argüelles' gorgeous soprano solo that is genuinely affecting and proves to be Momenta's high point.