Shedding her organ based work for a more esoteric electroacoustic ensemble, composer Kali Malone lands on Portraits GRM with Living Torch. The label’s first offering since early 2021 finds organic and electronic sounds humming in unity, exploring sombre harmonies ebbing and flowing in intensity. The warm tones of the album’s first half evolve into spectral and flickering firelight, with flushes of horns illustrating a sense of awe, while the boîte à bourdon of the second half (a custom stringed “drone box”) gets undercut by coursing synths, become harsher and more lacerating as the track ascends.

The compositions of Kali Malone implement specific tuning systems in minimalist form for pipe organ, choir, chamber music ensembles, and electroacoustic formats. Malone’s music is rich with harmonic texture through synthetic and acoustic instrumentation in repetitive motions and extended durations. The music emits distinct emotive, dynamic, and affective hues which bring forth a stunning depth of focus.

Kali Malone has performed extensively in Europe and North America at Musica Festival, Berlin Atonal, Moogfest, Kanal Pompidou, Elbphilharmonie, Paris Philharmonie, and Radio France. Her commission projects and residencies include the INA GRM, The Richard Thomas Foundation, MACBA, Macadam Ensemble, Orgelpark, Elektronmusikstudion and Tempo Reale. She collaborates and performs with various artists, including Stephen O’Malley, Lucy Railton, Frederikke Hoffmeier, Leila Bordreuil, Drew McDowall, Caterina Barbieri, and Ellen Arkbro. In 2016 she co-founded the record label and concert series XKatedral, together with Maria W Horn, in Stockholm.