"For me, music is about connection" - it's an earnest and sincere sentiment from Fabia Mantwill whose open-minded approach to her music has opened the door to genuinely inspired results.
Marking the release of her sophomore album - her first with the Michael League-helmed GroundUP Music - 'IN.SIGHT' finds Mantwill's boundless talents leading the charge for her 32-piece orchestra in a sensational follow-up from her debut four years ago.
The Berlin-based saxophonist, composer and vocalist has consistently managed to showcase her broad perspectives when it comes to music appreciation which were instilled into her from a young age as well as through extensive travels and touring that would follow in later years. The aforementioned debut, 'EM.PERIENCE', was initially conceived as a project to express Mantwill's affection for the diverse cultures and music that she was finding herself exposed to which would ultimately shape her over-arching, all-encompassing sound.
A rapturously-received project, 'IN.SIGHT' finds itself able to build upon those musical ideals in inspired ways within the similarly-minded GroundUP backing. Everything about Mantwill's ideologies resonate with the GroundUP philosophy - a label that was initially started as the home for the revered Texan fusion outfit Snarky Puppy, it has subsequently housed projects by some incredible names including David Crosby, Becca Stevens and Michelle Willis. And like many of the GroundUP roster like Snarky Puppy and Forq, the Fabia Mantwill Orchestra embraces the freedom that comes with such an unhindered perspective that embraces her big band sound across varied soundscapes.
Written over the course of the staggeringly short time of 72 hours, Mantwill opened up her collaborative process even further by inviting Snarky Puppy bandleader Michael League and Greek singer, musician and composer Magdalini Giannikou to help shape what 'IN.SIGHT' would become. And of the 32 wonderful performers enlisted for the project are a few star soloists including Anat Cohen on clarinet, Momi Maiga on kora and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel who each shine amidst their masterful musical backing.
While it could be an album described as having an ambitious sound, conversely, Mantwill has a way of making its scope seem like the most natural extension of herself. 'IN.SIGHT' isn't an album that is forcing any one sound or an album that is desperately trying to encapsulate a vast array of styles, it's an album that exists to free itself of those confines. A lovingly crafted project with rich textures, scintillating performances and teaming imagination that once again positions Fabia Mantwill as a force for modern music.