Music manifests in countless forms, each stirring emotion depending on the creator’s intent, the performance, and the listener’s interpretation. This is especially true of instrumental music, which, without the guidance of lyrics, invites the listener to shape their own narrative. Named after the “Japanese concept of light and dark in balance, Notan explores contrast and emotional depth—presence and absence, force and delicacy, forward motion and return”, Jo Quail’s seventh and latest album, Notan, is a masterclass in this kind of emotional and conceptual interplay.
Before we take a look at Notan however and for those aware of the name, Jo Quail, but perhaps unfamiliar of what to expect then here is a brief introduction from her website:
“Jo Quail is an internationally acclaimed composer and virtuoso cellist from London, UK. Equally at home on stage solo, with bands, or in collaboration with choir and orchestra, she combines an eloquent mastery of her instrument with innovative looping techniques, to realise her complex, evocative music for audiences worldwide.”
And here on Notan, we fully experience Jo’s command of the cello paired with those inventive looping techniques, bringing her intricate, emotionally charged compositions to life.
Notan opens with a foreboding flutter in Butterfly Dance. Despite its title evoking pastoral serenity, the music conjures a darker, more desolate landscape. With a nod to Tony Iommi’s guitar intro from Iron Man the album opener is perhaps more grounded in an industrial, metallic setting. Next comes Rex, a reimagining of Rex Infractus from Jo’s debut album From the Sea. Fifteen years on, Rex has grown, now a teenager, the piece charts that evolution with tenderness and power. Long a favourite, the new version draws beautifully from the Notan concept, moving from shadow into light with both force and delicacy.
Jo’s compositions are never rushed. They breathe, expand, and evolve organically. Embrace exemplifies this, built around a resonant drone and interwoven themes that unfold like a slow, enveloping caress. In contrast, A Leaf, And Then A Key is a haunting solo piece that channels Jo’s classical roots with quiet intensity. First Rain, a brief but poignant piano interlude, arrives almost unannounced. Jo describes it as having “emerged fully formed,” and its placement on Notan feels both natural and necessary. At just under three minutes, it offers a moment of reflection before the album’s final ascent.
Closing track KingFisher brings lightness and joy, a counterpoint to the album’s darker opening. Jo’s use of multi-effects adds rich texture; delays mimic synths, layered strings evoke Celtic and folk traditions, and the result is a cinematic, emotionally resonant finale. It’s a return to balance, a full-circle moment that encapsulates the spirit of Notan.
With Notan, I am reminded not only of Jo Quail’s singular compositional voice but of the enduring spirit that threads through her work which is bold, boundaryless, and deeply human. Where The Cartographer dazzled with its collaborative scope, Notan refines that same emotional and sonic intensity into a more intimate, yet no less expansive, experience. To close, I’ll borrow the words of the greatly missed Jez Rowden, whose final reflection on The Cartographer still holds true: “Music as it should be, presented without genre – just open your mind and let it in.” It’s a sentiment Notan echoes with conviction, inviting us once again to listen without preconception, and to feel without restraint.
TRACK LISTING
01. Butterfly Dance (5:46)
02. Rex (9:36)
03. A Leaf, And Then A Key (4:19)
04. Embrace (8:32)
05. First Rain (2:51)
06. KingFisher (5:32)
Total Time – 36:16
MUSICIANS
Jo Quail – Cello, Piano, Effects
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Adderstone Records
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 12th September 2025
LINKS
Jo Quail – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
