96kHz/24-bit, FLAC; Enja Yellowbird Records YEB 77742 (supplied by www.highresaudio.com)

The Brodbeck trio is a group at the peak of its considerable artistic power. This hour-long instrumental expedition opens with three densely orchestrated, upbeat, and engaging pieces (‘Ich Will Meine Seele Tachen’, ‘Im Strom Der Gezeitzen’ and ‘The Night Comes Soon’) then takes a contemplative detour with ‘Song For The Ancestors’ and the languorous ‘Brahms Ballad’. An extended bass solo in ‘Juno Is Touching Down’ leads to a compellingly rhythmic, melodically forthright section that in turn ushers in a sweet piano passage in ‘Return/No Return’. The punchy ‘Rocka-Roas’ showcases the trio’s interplay, running the gamut from fascinating to maddening with a repeated figure near the end. Closing piece ‘Requiem For A Song’ melds elements of joy, loss, and wonderment. This superb-sounding recording is a vivid example of what can be realised in high-res. BW

Sound Quality: 90%

Hi-Fi News Lab Report

Very cleanly recorded at Germany’s Idee und Klang, the piano ranges up to ~10kHz while guitar and percussion show harmonics at twice this bandwidth. Limited distortion above 20kHz suggests no use of limiters/compressors. PM