Detours is inspired by the composer's personal memories and reflections concerning cars. It draws on sources and references of a distinctly non-classical nature, but cannot in any way be called "crossover" - more it is a fusion of genres, as are the other works, brilliantly performed by Psappha.

Cutting-edge contemporary music for both chamber ensembles and solo instruments by this highly individualistic and well-regarded composer. Alwynne Pritchard was born in Glasgow in 1968. Encouraged by her father, the composer Gwyn Pritchard, she began composing as a teenager and went on to study composition with Robert Saxton at the Guildhall School of Music, and later with Justin Connolly and Michael Finnissy at the Royal Academy of Music where she was awarded many prizes for her work. She has since been distinguished by critics for her "strong, spare language" and "restrained eloquence".

The Light Garden Trilogy is a highly significant modern work, inspired by 16th century Afghan culture, by British composer Sadie Harrison. Accompanied here by four traditional Afghan pieces. The CD also contains a host of multimedia extra features - including commentary by the composer, artist profiles, video, photographs and other extras!

Sacred Physic is a dramatic madrigal after Shakespeare, telling the story of King Pericles and Marina. Together with the other works on this album it demonstrates Julia Usher's individual and highly skilled writing.

Fortmann spent many years as a leading rock musician, working with Zappa amongst others, before turning to contemporary chamber and theater music. His style blends serialism, jazz and theater/cabaret elements to provide music that is distinctive and entertaining. These are all first recordings; the piano trio received it's U.S. premiere at Carnegie Hall in October 2012.

At the forefront of the international music scene since their founding in 1991, the Quatuor Danel, with important concert performances worldwide and a series of groundbreaking, prizewinning CD recordings have become renowned for combining bold, concentrated interpretations of classical quartets with an uncompromising commitment to the most progressive music of our time. Here they present new compositions by four English composers associated with the University of Manchester, where they succeeded the Lindsays as quartet-in-residence in 2005. Composers John Casken and Philip Grange have already carved out international reputations (and have previous Métier albums devoted to their work), whereas Camden Reeves and Richard Whalley, two of the younger generation of composers, should place among the most in-demand composers of tomorrow based on their immediately distinctive compositional styles.

This album, featuring several of the UK’s most accomplished performers, explores the Macedonian composer’s search for ‘chroma’ (color) in both harmonic and formal structures, traditional and experimental sonorities and in a need for deeply dedicated performances of physical directness. The composer’s challenging quest has produced a program of works with interweaving strands of expression, some of which were written during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.Mihailo Trandafilovski is a performer-composer in the mold of Telemann, Bartók, Joachim and Liszt. Like them, it is quite impossible to separate his compositional and instrumental imaginations, and he exhibits a swirling yet sold inter-dependence between the energies of each. His contribution to the violin is extraordinary; his violin-piano duos (sonatas in all but name), concerti, violin duos, chamber works and pedagogical works are gifts for audiences and players alike. Previous recordings of his works have attracted glowing reviews around the world.

Composer James Weeks is on the cutting edge of contemporary music. His works have been performed and broadcast all over the globe. This new release features all world premiere recordings of his work. Typically, Weeks focuses on small ensembles and soloists, trimming his music to a bare landscape and utilizing modalism, microtonality and other techniques in total clarity. These works are indeed sparse, tonally based, and minimalist. The repetitive but nevertheless evolving phrases develop over time, which is one of Weeks’ key inspirations. One of the UK’s most prominent new music figures, composer Christopher Fox, says of this release: “These seven works, these signs of occupation, are a welcome act of defiance, music that rewards careful listening and insists that the working together of musicians is a proper subject for our attention.”

Cuatro Puntos is a multi faceted organization based in Hartford, Connecticut, USA dedicated to intercultural dialogue and universal access through the performance, writing, and teaching of music. Cuatro Puntos oversees a resident chamber music ensemble, a concert series, arts-integration workshops in local schools, the Music Moves Hartford program for those facing homelessness, and a partnership with the M�zikhane Social Music School in Southeastern Turkey. It's recent album 'Rosegarden of Light' on Toccata has been widely praised and the ensemble has performed extensively in many parts of the world. This album is a musical journey beginning in India, with a work based on traditional raag, through pieces by Iranian composer Reza Vali, to Afghanistan for another piece by Bishop and the area around Syria for a work by Sadie Harrison whose connection with Arabic traditional music goes back many years, through Israel to Egypt for chamber works by Cohen and Farag. As well as being extremely entertaining the album also demonstrates the universality of music in all it's different guises as the true universal language.

Chris Gekker is one of America's most acclaimed trumpet players; he is currently Professor of Trumpet at the University of Maryland, and has appeared as guest soloist with the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and other leading orchestras and opera companies. In his second album for Metier, he presents premiere recordings of fine works by six composers, demonstrating the mellow and lyrical side of the trumpet in new but melodic and beautiful music. Definitely an album of serenades, not fanfares. Chris is joined by a group of excellent musicians including members of his extremely gifted family. A treasure for anyone wanting rich and haunting music from the gentle trumpet.

• Composer Michael Ellison's world premiere opera, composed for VocaalLab and the Hezarfen Ensemble. • VocaalLab makes productions at the intersection of music and theatre. • Since its formation in 2010, the Hezarfen Ensemble have given countless Turkish premieres of works by composers from around the world • Lucas Vis (b.1947) is considered a contemporary music specialist, having worked with John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Karlheinz Stockhausen and many others.

• The first recordings of Robert Fokkens’ chamber works and song. • Robert Fokkens' music has been performed in many major UK venues and received many radio broadcasts. • The Fidelio Trio promote contemporary music, commission new works and perform internationally . • Soprano Patricia Rozario's unique voice has inspired several of the world’s leading composers to write for her, most notably Arvo Pärt and Sir John Tavener • Carla Rees has become a leading alto flute specialist.

This stunning new opera by British composer is based on lost love, ethical quandaries, betrayal and the Orpheus legend.

Eric Craven is like no other composer - both because for most of his life, he has been a recluse from the musical establishment while living out his role as family man and teacher, and also because his compositional technique is his alone. Aleatory in general principle but more complex, his works contain elements of both high-order and low-order 'non-prescriptive' writing - in other works varying degrees of flexibility allowed to the performer. Totally abstract in form and concept, though inspired by a principle (here, the particle entanglement in Quantum Mechanics), the pieces, especially 'low-order' where the score is more prescribed, can take on the appearance of other forms such as baroque fugue, romantic prelude or even soft jazz. Moreover the music is hardly ever 'challenging' for the listener, with quasi-tonal, melodic flow. In many ways Craven is laying down a new direction for piano composition. Mary Dullea in her third album of Craven's music demonstrates her amazing pianistic prowess but also her perceptivity and understanding of the scores which she realises in full showing wonderful expertise in interpretation. Dullea, as both solo artist and member of the Fidelio Trio, is becoming one of the 'must-hear' pianists in the contemporary music world.

Clare Lesser is a specialist in new vocal music and 'is blessed with a gorgeous voice and terrific technique' (Musical Pointers). Her previous releases have garnered great praise for her ability to cope with advanced technical requirements as well as being able to sing 'straight' with a most beautiful mellifluous tone and perfectly controlled vibrato. Husband David accompanies and also provides a major work on this program of lieder by some of our age's most inspired composers. Both Lessers teach at New York University in Abu Dhabi as well as performing, recording and doing much research. Heinz Holliger is perhaps best known as oboist and conductor but has a sizeable oeuvre including many song cycles, while Wolfgang Rihm is one of today's highest achievers in the art of lieder composition. Finnissy's work, on texts by Goethe, is an example of his vital contribution to the realm of modern vocal music.