Jack McNeill - Chamber Cairn (2025)

Chamber Cairn is the debut solo album by Cumbrian clarinettist, composer, and maker Jack McNeill, recorded in a rarely used church in the village of Rusland, Cumbria, between Windermere and Coniston Water. The nine-track album explores the sonic possibilities of the clarinet and bass clarinet, pushing beyond traditional perceptions of the instrument, which McNeill calls the “misery stick” for its underappreciated versatility. It features four main compositions interspersed with improvisations (“Cairns”) using olive ash “sound tables,” clattering stones, and two taped-together Swanee whistles. Inspired by the Cumbrian landscape and the concept of cairns—stone piles marking space and time—the album reflects McNeill’s personal experiences, including the birth of his son and relocating to manage a woodland in Cumbria. Recorded over two days during a lull between storms, it employs multiple microphones, including contact mics on McNeill’s throat and instrument, creating a tactile, almost subterranean sound. Videos for “Air Song” and “Buzzard” were filmed in Rydal Cave, a remnant of Cumbria’s slate industry. Initially released exclusively for The Quietus subscribers, the album is described as “contemporary instrumental folk music,” connecting ancient and modern elements.



Tracklist:
1-1 Jack McNeill - Cairn I [1:12]
1-2 Jack McNeill - Scree [3:12]
1-3 Jack McNeill - Cairn II [0:57]
1-4 Jack McNeill - Air Song [6:00]
1-5 Jack McNeill - Cairn III [1:01]
1-6 Jack McNeill - Buzzard [4:33]
1-7 Jack McNeill - Cairn IV [1:53]
1-8 Jack McNeill - Zurich [4:00]
1-9 Jack McNeill - Cairn V [1:14]