The Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 and 2021 mandated that musicians find ways to connect without gathering in person. The pandemic produced a litany of recordings that along with photos of masked loved ones, will serve as tacit reminders of two years of solitude and isolation. For Esthesis Quartet this meant gathering on Zoom to keep the creative juices flowing, and to continue to write inspired music with the quartet in mind. While it is undeniable that this recording bears the mark of social isolation, in the end, it was recorded in a Los Angeles studio once the foursome felt it was safe to engage in person. Indeed, the term "esthesis" means "elementary sensations of touch," something the quartet was robbed of during the lockdown. The result is an emotionally intensive, evocative first effort that exudes the flow and vibe of the social interaction all sentient beings are drawn to.

With the front line being occupied by a flutist, one might have assumptions about the actual sound the band produces. That assumption would likely be wrong. Swedish born, New York based flutist