The work of Canadian-born, Cassandra Miller is wide-ranging but hard to categorise. There is a certain freedom in the music of contemporary Canadian composers, who seem less inclined to follow the well-trodden cultural pathways of their European contemporaries. Their ‘outsiderness’ has been showcased in a set of releases from experimental music specialists, Another Timbre.

Miller’s musical influences are eclectic and her artistic inspirations even more so. Philip the Wanderer, performed here by its namesake Philip Thomas, is drawn from a recording of a Mozambican musician; For Mira (performed by violinist Mira Benjamin) is based on a computer transcription of Kurt Cobain’s singing. Both Benjamin and Thomas execute their works with authority and confidence. Opening the disc is O Zomer! for trumpet, vibraphone, marimba, crotales, strings, winds, and piano, a bold statement of Miller’s distinct approach to musical structure.

The stand-out is Duet for Cello...