Like many ECM artists, Tord Gustavsen is known for working on the borders of jazz, folk and classical, along with a touch of tango and a soupçon of blues. As we were once informed by his fellow Norwegians, The Kings of Convenience, quiet is the new loud. And of course, for Tord Gustavsen, quiet is his default mode: he is the living embodiment of the ECM sound: slow, contemplative, solemn and full of space.

On this new album, the profound religious sensibility that was always lurking just beneath the surface of his music has now broken cover. Hence the first track is the traditional melody ‘Jesus gjør meg stille’ (‘Jesus make me quiet’). The religious theme continues with the original composition ‘The Old Church’, followed by two ancient hymn tunes adapted by Johann Sebastian Bach - the 16th century ‘Christ lag in Todesbanden’ (‘Christ lay in death’s bonds’) and ‘Auf meinen lieben Gott’ (literally ‘In my dear God’).

The trio’s previous outing (Opening, 2022) was notable for the inclusion for the first time of bassist Raknes, an alumnus of Chick Corea and Michael Brecker. And here he is again, though this time he’s all acoustic – no sign here of the electronica with which he made his instrument howl and squeal on that album.

Although Seeing is in no way a departure from Gustavsen’s signature style, it’s a mature work, with a more serene, settled feel to it than we have heard before. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that he seems to have found his perfect band: drummer Jarle Vespestad has been with him since the beginning of his career, but the bass slot was always fluid – until now. In Steinar Raknes he has found his perfect foil. The final track, ‘Seattle Song’ is perhaps the best example of this, with a simple melody and repeated bass line that were apparently improvised at a sound check in 2023.