Alex Dang

Despite being a key participant in the "Left Coast" scene of more avant-leaning music from the American west coast—in particular, part of the Cryptogramophone imprint that, while less active than in its "glory days" during the first years of the new millennium—Alex Cline releases so infrequently as a leader that any new music from the percussionist/composer is worthy of attention. That he has flown so far under the radar, in recent years, that his last Cryptogramophone release, 2013's For People In Sorrow, was largely (and unfairly) overlooked. Thankfully, that's not the case with Oceans of Vows, a sumptuous two-disc set that documents a two-hour suite of music—two parts, each consisting of five movements.