harold budd

Released in 1994, this album features Budd performing original compositions with the contemporary music quartet Zeitgeist, a group who play woodwinds, keyboards, and percussion, including mallet instruments. Most of the album was written in 1991 at a time when Budd had returned to writing music for ensembles. While indulging in the minimalist aesthetics that epitomize his work, this album showcases his ideas in a different spectrum than his ambient albums. These 18 compositions average two to two-and-a-half minutes in length, some exploring one theme, others compacting two or three into the same time frame. Unlike many other minimalists, pianist/composer Budd does not belabor his points. She Is a Phantom is generally characterized by mellow tracks such as the ghostly haze of "Nearly Awakened." But there are exceptions, including the gracefully spiraling clarinet melody over piano chords in the opening track and the eclectic "Like Perfume," which segues between an abstract percussive tapestry, a clarinet solo, and a poetry reading accentuated by a marching snare. Four of the songs feature Budd reciting poetry, and the vocal inclusion is not intrusive, blending in with the musical backdrops. This album is perhaps one of Budd's most cryptic works, particularly as some tracks melt into others. While not as easily accessible as many past efforts, it is a gratifying journey nonetheless. It just requires patience and open ears. --Bryan Reesman