Yelena Eckemoff - 2025 - Scenes From the Dark Ages

(105:00; L & H Production)

This is my first time of hearing Yelena Eckemoff, but apparently, she has released 22 albums over the last 15 years. Born and raised in Russia, Yelena’s mother was a professional pianist and teacher, so she started playing by ear from a very early age. Yelena became a classical concert pianist yet after graduation from the Moscow State Conservatory she kept looking for new styles and played piano in progressive rock and jazz-rock bands. She stopped playing to have a family, and then emigrated to rural North Carolina, and with her children growing up she returned to music and discovered that through the internet she was able to work with other musicians.

This album was not recorded in that manner, but rather it took place over three days in August 2023 in Mantua, Italy, where Yelena provides piano, organ, clavichord, celesta, synths, and she is joined by Riccardo Bertuzzi (electric guitar), Carlo Nicita (soprano, alto, and bass flutes), Eloisa Manera (acoustic and electric violin), Riccardo Oliva (electric bass), and Trilok Gurtu (drums and percussion). The result is something which is progressive yet classical, with Camel never too far from mind due to the dreamscapes she creates. She is a wonderful composer, and in many ways, it is better to think of this as classical respect as opposed to something which is related to modern popular or rock music. It is all very carefully thought through, with the impression that every single note and line has been deliberately annotated as opposed to a musician reacting to what is going on around them.

One many think I didn’t enjoy this, but nothing could be further from the truth as this is a delight from the beginning to end. While it is generally based on piano, the arrangements allow the music to swell with different instruments taking the lead, yet one can tell she has grown up in a rigid classical environment just due to the way she approaches the score. Some may consequently feel this is a little too regimented for their taste, but I personally feel it is an absolute delight from beginning to end.  

Kev Rowland, September 2025

Links:
https://yelenamusic.com/
https://landhproduction.com/