Known for their stark-yet-vibrant portraits of emotional landscapes, Texan instrumental ensemble Balmorhea defies easy categorization. Founded in 2006, the group has released seven full-length albums, most recently The Wind — their first for the storied Deutsche Grammophon label.
Spanning genres while resonating with a vast worldwide listenership, Balmorhea have performed to audiences from Mexico City to China, Istanbul to Italy; they’ve played everywhere from gothic cathedrals to rock clubs, renowned art museums to respected European venues like Berlin’s Funkhaus and Brussels’ Bozar. Their sound is open and approachable yet does not shy away from blurring genre boundaries. The ensemble reaches its stride when “treating distance and intimacy like timbres and textures.” (Washington Post). The music lends itself to deep angles of connection; garnering a dedicated audience and finding relevance regardless of dialect or geotag. Their diverse perspective and expansive range—“both restorative and disquieting” (The Atlantic)—make Balmorhea essential listening for those seeking to engage with sincerity and an open heart with life’s fragility.
︎︎︎ Photos by Donavon Smallwood & Bryan Schutmaat
Spanning genres while resonating with a vast worldwide listenership, Balmorhea have performed to audiences from Mexico City to China, Istanbul to Italy; they’ve played everywhere from gothic cathedrals to rock clubs, renowned art museums to respected European venues like Berlin’s Funkhaus and Brussels’ Bozar. Their sound is open and approachable yet does not shy away from blurring genre boundaries. The ensemble reaches its stride when “treating distance and intimacy like timbres and textures.” (Washington Post). The music lends itself to deep angles of connection; garnering a dedicated audience and finding relevance regardless of dialect or geotag. Their diverse perspective and expansive range—“both restorative and disquieting” (The Atlantic)—make Balmorhea essential listening for those seeking to engage with sincerity and an open heart with life’s fragility.
︎︎︎ Photos by Donavon Smallwood & Bryan Schutmaat