Mutations (Vijay Iyer album)

Mutations
Studio album by Vijay Iyer
Released	March 4, 2014
Recorded	September 2013 at Avatar Studios, New York
Genre	Jazz
Length	60:13
Label	ECM ECM 2372
Producer	Manfred Eicher
Vijay Iyer chronology
Holding It Down: The Veterans' Dreams Project (2013) Mutations (2014)

Mutations is an album by pianist Vijay Iyer recorded in 2013 and released on the ECM label in 2014.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
All About Jazz	[3]
The Guardian	[4]

The Allmusic review by Thom Jurek awarded the album 4½ stars out of 5, stating "Mutations rewards with well-considered, inspired performances".^[2] Writing for All About Jazz, John Kelman said "Mutations is a landmark recording from an artist who, while already possessing an admirable discography, has clearly been limited to more decidedly jazz-oriented concerns. Representing a significant musical shift, if Mutations is but the first sign of the greater freedom ECM plans to afford Iyer, the only vaticinator of what's to follow will surely be its complete and utter unpredictability".^[3] The Guardian review by John Fordham awarded the album 4 stars noting "It's thoughtful, typically original, and unexpectedly very exciting".^[4]

Not all reviews were as enthusiastic with JazzTimes stating "Mutations is a major disappointment. The problem is Iyer’s writing for strings. There is a 10-part suite for string quartet, piano and electronics. The suite is stunningly devoid of the aesthetic and emotional content that makes most people listen to music. Qualities such as lyric discovery, melodic fulfillment and rhythmic engagement are absent".^[5]

Track listing

All compositions by Vijay Iyer

1. "Spellbound and Sacrosanct, Cowrie Shells and the Shimmering Sea" - 7:39
2. "Vuln, Part 2" - 4:34
3. "Mutation 1: Air" - 4:12
4. "Mutation 2: Rise" - 2:44
5. "Mutation 3: Canon" - 5:47
6. "Mutation 4: Chain" - 5:25
7. "Mutation 5: Automata" - 6:32
8. "Mutation 6: Waves" - 3:00
9. "Mutation 7: Kernel" - 5:59
10. "Mutation 8: Clade" - 1:34
11. "Mutation 9: Descent" - 5:17
12. "Mutation 10: Time" - 4:00
13. "When We're Gone" - 3:30

Personnel

• Vijay Iyer — piano, electronics
• Michi Wiancko, Miranda Cuckson — violin (tracks 3-12)
• Kyle Armbrust — viola (tracks 3-12)
• Kivie Cahn-Lipman — cello (tracks 3-12)

References