Composer Kali Malone Releases New Album Burning Song Recorded on Historic Leipzig Organ

US drone composer Kali Malone has released a new album titled Burning Song, shifting away from her previous lengthy compositions toward a more compact format and focused emotional expression. According to a review published by The Guardian, the forty-minute recording presents a sequence of plaintive tonalities performed by a trio consisting of Malone, cellist Lucy Railton, and bowed acoustic guitar player Stephen O'Malley.

For the project, Malone played the Bach organ located inside Leipzig's Thomaskirche, where the historical composer served as cantor for the final twenty-seven years of his life. Malone noted in an interview with Blackbird Spyplane that the presence of Bach's burial site beneath the altar contributed to a distinct atmosphere, describing it as feeling like a "church for music."

The album's arrangements feature synchronized performances that incorporate the physical textures of crackling notes, breath, and instrument scrapes. Tracks such as Grieving Figure open with a sustained tone resembling a distant horn before shifting dynamics, while Bells on a Branch and Crawling Ashore showcase layered interactions between the organ, cello, and acoustic guitar.

Reviewers have characterized the release as a departure from the composer's more intricate technical methods, noting that tracks like Map the Path deliver solemn yet direct emotional engagement. The music maintains a focused intensity throughout its runtime, demanding close attention from listeners compared to the expansive structures of her earlier work.