Will Barnes Quartet, Will Barnes - Outside the Light (2025)

Tracklist

01. Annwn
02. Devil's Bridge
03. Bloom
04. The Longest Day
05. Never Done
06. Light of the Beacons
07. Lleuad Fedi
08. Otherworld

Making an auspicious start with their debut album Source of the Severn, the Will Barnes Quartet continue to develop their music with this equally compelling follow up, despite a slight change in personnel along the way.

The debut album featured a longstanding quartet of young players who had grown up together and formed a deep musical bond that was immediately apparent when listening to the recording and even more so when heard live. The departure of bassist Clovis Phillips must have come as bit of a blow as the quartet seemed to be garnering considerable attention, but as the momentum continued to build for Will Barnes, he was able to secure a fine replacement in Aidan Thorne who stepped into the Quartet and quickly found his place in the music.

What is most enjoyable about Outside The Light is how the group have continued to evolve and build on their shared playing experience. This has enabled Will Barnes to take forward the group sound integrating the new bassist and come up with fresh new compositions that bring different musical and compositional approaches together in a most appealing manner.

Barnes does like to write structured and carefully arranged compositions (with arranging credits going to the quartet) alongside looser bebop influenced pieces in which the four musicians deliver with a relaxed swing yet still dig in.

The former approach is captured on two beautifully crafted pieces, the first of which is ‘Annwn’ that opens the album and is a delicate and lyrical composition that features lovely solos from both Barnes and double bassist Aidan Thorne. ‘Light of the Beacons’ is in similar vein and features stunning and beautiful playing from all.

Another piece that immediately catches the ear is ‘Devil’s Bridge’ that captures the guitarist’s propensity to write tunes that constantly evolve and change as they progress, creating an absorbing narrative. The flipside to this is the Quartet’s feel for bebop with compositions like ‘Bloom’ where the quartet open up and feature a wonderfully flowing solo from the guitarist who is pushed along and cajoled by bass and drums. ‘Never Done’ is an infectious theme that is supported by some fine brushwork from James Batten before the drummer switches to sticks and the band really swing hard with compact and interesting solos from both guitar and piano.

Pianist Jack Gonzalez also get another excellent solo on the driving ‘Otherworld’ but as good as the solos are throughout, it is the way that the Quartet play as a unit that makes the performances so memorable. All four musicians support each other as they navigate the intricacies of Barnes’s intriguing and absorbing compositions, and as such Outside the Light comes highly recommended.

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