Daniel Thorne's Lines of Sight is an extraordinary, expansive step forward

There is often extraordinary energy in these six tracks, but careful work on structural devices, such as the church organ effects in “From the Heavens”, keep an impressive sense of unity in each work. Thorne shows most convincingly the range that can be achieved with just a few saxophones and a bass synth. “Pyriscence” builds simply but with great power, the overlaying never gratuitous. The result illustrates the composer/musician’s considerable versatility, as a shifting of mood is achieved with an admirable nimbleness.

Here and there one senses Thorne’s playfulness, with echoes of Bach-on-steroids in “Threnody for a Burning Building”, but the development is extremely well managed with a maintaining of force as the pace slows and the high voltage gives way to a calmer energy before an explosive reassertion of vigour that, nevertheless, cleverly incorporates glimmering soprano sax details, successfully balancing chthonic power with subtle, star-like glints.

The final track, “Fear of Floating”, starts as a beautiful solo sax contrast to much that has gone before, its close-miked sonic working especially well as a precursor to the second phase that offers a greater but never overwhelming range of sounds that evolves impressively before a return to the original more minimalist style. It’s a fine conclusion to a record of considerable dimensions, always well controlled though never in the least predictable.