She not only pulled together one or two, but three albums during the course of the year. All showcase different sides of Kara-Lis Coverdale’s ambient and classical excursions, with each dipping into its own sonic tapestries. From Where You Came is wispy and effervescent in its tonality, where synths and organic instrumentation swivel into a sifting mist. A Series of Actions in a Sphere of Forever is reflective in the way Coverdale entails emotions through her piano compositions. Creating nocturnal moods that swing between the askew and the gentle, a back-and-forth in finding comfort but also discomfort.
Thus far, those previous two albums are total contrasts from one another, presenting Coverdale’s curiosity for timbre through sauntering ambience and foggy notes. Change in Air, the capstone to this trilogy, is nestled in the middle of it all. It never pushes previous tones aside, but becomes aligned with what they both have—utilising the synths, organs, and pianos to create a harmonic balance.
What was once made for a sauna installation in Oslo, Coverdale eventually adapts these compositions into her body of work, placed in its own separate space. This 40-minute piece is segmented into 5 sections, lingering into a droning ambience that keeps on unspooling its layers and discovering more facets as it goes further into its journey. “Strait of Phase” and “Labyrinth” are these lengthy, slow-building sections that undergo evocative motions. Electric organs and modular synths are a major presence in these cuts. Their melodies instil an effervescent meditation at first, but eventually lead to undisturbed melancholy. The former song might resolve that to a glossy swell, but the latter song floats on that sombre emotion, accompanied by tinkling chimes and airy tones that amplify its aching reflectiveness.
The presence of Coverdale’s piano playing eventually shines in full view, once the previous section transitions seamlessly to the next two segments of this overall composition. Despite their fleeting moments, there is a contrast in timbre that captures their cultivated vividness. Allowing these sections to sound similar, but also different. “Boundlessness” pulls shuffling acoustics and bright piano notes in a cascading fashion, possessing a lilting imperfection before the synths interrupt it with constant beeps and whirrs. That whirring synth wave eventually transitions to “Oriri”, where, in bringing back organic recordings and solemn piano, the notes being played slowly turn rougher and dimmer. A progression from light to dark, a fluctuation of mood that Coverdale resoundingly modulates naturally.
The seven-minute runtime of “Curve Traces of Held Space” is soothing to the touch. An uplifting grace where organic textures and piano phrases become tender accents, and the reverberating drone becomes the main centrepiece that breathes in a modest pace. Completely tying down the album’s emotive arc. Beginning with a pensive statement, and ending with an acknowledged relief.
Changes in Air incredibly ends the trilogy that Kara Lis-Coverdale has pursued. Taking a gently unfurling nature that always ruminates, gradually changing its pensive moods in between its streamlined structure. Carrying a strong handle on tonal variance and melodic compositions that Coverdale continues to spill with prowess. With Changes in Air, the trilogy is finally complete. Three different albums, all carrying vibrant strength in their own way. A trilogy executed masterfully.
