Christina Vantzou, John Also Bennett and Oliver Coates – Death, Reverb and Decay

Editions Basilic

Christina Vantzou, John Also Bennett and Oliver Coates
Death, Reverb and Decay
Editions Basilic

A new release from Christina Vantzou and / or her partner John Also Bennett would be exciting enough on its own, but by enlisting cellist extraordinaire Oliver Coates for the new Death, Reverb and Decay, they’ve undoubtedly sent a certain strain of experimental music fans into an absolute tizzy. Developed over a series of live performances throughout 2025, the piece is a patient and relatively sparse lament, one in which Bennett’s bass flute and Coates’ cello engage in an elegant back-and-forth atop Vantzou’s looming drones. A second, “Dreaming” version slows down the proceedings even further, stretching past the 10-minute mark as the trio marinates on loss and encroaching darkness. Neither composition is soothing in the traditional sense—Bennett himself has said that he cried most of the times he performed it live—but for those willing to tune out the world for a few minutes, Death, Reverb and Decay does feel like a port in the storm, and a chance to wonder if that light flickering on the horizon is something to be hopeful about, or just another mess that’ll need to be cleaned up.