Meander Selection captures the unique sensibility of John Lely, bringing together works that explore his signature blend of experimental rigor and poetic simplicity. Opener “Doubles” sets the tone, using paired materials and systematic procedures to slowly reveal overlapping melodic shapes. The piece is less about linear progress than the patient unfolding of relationships, an approach that becomes a through-line for the album. “Karnaugh Quartet” and “Pale Signal” extend these concerns into shifting instrumental constellations, using minimal motifs and intermittent gestures to blur the line between the written and the improvised. Lely’s approach privileges clarity and restraint, but beneath the surface the music simmers with subtle unpredictability - unexpected repetitions, shadowed harmonies, and sudden pauses gently reshape the listening experience.

“Meander Section” and “Nocturne” continue this explorative path, each one balancing systematic construction with open interpretive possibility. The former weaves a quietly kinetic texture, the latter lingers in a world of faint movement and looming reflection. “for Philip” pays tribute to composer Philip Corner with a long-form, meditative score inviting performers to merge disciplined process with unfussy, intuitive touch. Throughout the album, Apartment House bring their focused attention and experience to Lely’s music, finding expressivity in the smallest timbral changes and letting silences breathe. What stands out is not only the distinctive voice of the composer, rooted in British experimental traditions, but also the ensemble’s trust in the value of modest means. Meander Selection is an invitation to slow listening, rewarding those who meet the music on its own contemplative terms - where complexity reveals itself through process, patience, and the beauty of unhurried transformation.