The output of some musicians is impossible to assign to genre, and I admit a predilection for such music. The Waiting more than satisfies this predilection, and does so with sumptuous beauty, exemplary craft and the utmost attention to detail.
Where to begin? The Waiting is sonically adventurous and structurally audacious, creating cathedral spaces whose explorations have a sacramental aspect. While as a whole the songs are genuine parts of a larger gestalt, each is also a world in itself. From the repeated and varied piano figure in the first and eponymous track, to the carefully deployed percussive elements and the voice like washes of pads, the music is about what all very good to great music should be about --- elements without individual meaning melded to create meaning. And like good poetry, this music is also about leaving space for the listeners and what they bring. It is infinitely suggestive.
The music is technically intriguing. On a first listen it would seem that there are many parts coming together. In truth, a few simple parts are thoughtfully contrived to create something that is complex and beautiful without being at all busy. This is not only admirable but, in my opinion, a hallmark of art with a capital A. In The Waiting sounds meet and meld, creating complex harmonies and chromatic sprays. Hilliat Fields takes the time to let each piece develop fully.
To end where I began: The Waiting is a beautiful work that can sit alongside the best serious music of the last 100 years, be it by Ligetti, Stockhausen or Rorem. 5/5 Stars. Available at all major digital retailers. Select songs by Hilliat Fields can be heard on .Sound Cloud.
