In An Album, Tim Parkinson brings together five pieces written between 1998 and 2017, each realized by the ever-adventurous Apartment House. The set opens with “violin piece 1999”, which finds a single violin line drifting between structured points of contact and episodes of independence. The approach to time and structure is decidedly non-teleological: repetitions accrue meaning, but sequencing remains unpredictable, emphasizing consistency of attention rather than narrative arc. The album moves through ensemble works shaped by both standard and eccentric instrumentations. “septet 2007” draws on the more conventional sound worlds of chamber music while subverting expectations - elements are stockpiled, layered, and scattered, giving the music a curiosity that bridges tradition and experiment. “ensemble 2012” further blurs boundaries, dividing attention among voices that are both distinct and strangely entwined, highlighting Parkinson’s tendency to treat musical form as an elastic, open question.

A similar exploration of process and constraint animates “violin and piano 2017.” Here, melody and accompaniment function as found objects, their conventions tested and recast through a stepwise working process that exposes both hidden potential and inherent limitations. Even the solo “violin piece 1999”, returning in a newly reflective context, resists closure, uncoiling in patient, unhurried fashion. What connects these works is a belief in the value of directness and the careful staging of everyday musical gestures. Tim Parkinson's compositions remind us that musical interest and depth can be uncovered not only in elaborate structures or virtuoso display, but in repeated investigation of mundane or “alien” fragments drawn from the musical landscape around us. Apartment House’s performances render each piece with earnestness and subtle wit, giving the music room to breathe while revealing the rich dialogue between composer and performers at the core of the album’s charm.