If Mat Maneri’s excellent performance on the collaborative trio session hEARoes was a timely reminder of the talent of one of the foremost viola players in improvised music, then this session underlines his ability as a leader in his own right.

Backed by longstanding collaborators, bassist John Hébert, drummer Randy Peterson and pianist Lucian Ban, Maneri writes and plays with a towering strength of character and eye of the needle precision that gives this work appeal amid what can at times be an icily austere sonic landscape.

Predominantly taken at low tempo and volume, Ash, a follow-up up to 2019’s Dust, hinges on the ensemble’s ability to introduce subtle but effective tension and motion into what appears near-still soundscapes, resulting in a kind of tantalizing blur of tempos, a fascinating slide between static and dynamic sensation.

The blend of restraint and intent is crucial, and Hébert and Peterson make an ideal anchor, sometimes so discreet they are barely heard yet tightly forceful elsewhere. ‘Cold World Lullaby’ with its tetchy, rattling snare and growling strings, is a strong summary of work that, stark as it is, has a deep emotional charge under its surface.