Saxophonist Ben Wendel describes High Heart as ‘a project of hope’ at a time when the digital age has challenged what it means to be an artist. Wendel explores this conundrum with a mix of wistful themes and wordless vocals, dense keyboard textures and solos that catch fire.

The album opens with the title track exploring the solitary experience of creating digital communications that have a global reach. Michael Mayo's falsetto vocals are haunting, the piano support arpeggiated and bassist Sanders and drummer Wood deliver bite and thrust underneath. Mood established, Wendel's upper register entry echoes with effects, setting up a slow burn on acoustic tenor sax.

‘Burning Bright’ follows, a twisty theme with a four-handed chase inspired by William Blake's poem ‘Tyger’ and ‘Less’ features Mayo's falsetto vocals full on.

But for the most part, vocal lines merge with Wendell's sax, or add to the sensitive layers delivered by Gerald Clayton and Shai Maestro on piano, keyboards and Fender Rhodes – gentle and Eastern- inflected on ‘Kindly’, spiritual and spacious on ‘Darling’. Elsewhere, the band is unleashed and Wendel's articulate, contemporary mainstream tenor sax solos stand out. ‘Drawn Away’ builds tension over a tricky bass riff, “Fearsome” gathers momentum over blocks of sound and ‘Traveller’ closes the album with drums reverberating in acres of space.