On Melting Pillars of Snow, Swedish composer Maria W Horn attempts to map the relentless passage of time across five expansive compositions. The record sets out to chart the friction between microscopic moments and deep historical time. Yet for all its conceptual weight and formal intent, the listening experience remains curiously remote, leaving the pieces sounding like static, glass-encased dioramas which may be meticulously assembled, but are emotionally lacking in power. Lead single ‘Scythe of Saturn’ sets the template. Built around slow-motion acoustic and electronic friction, it features a guest spoken performance from Swans’ Michael Gira. Gira’s low and heavy delivery is commanding, but his presence feels strangely grafted onto…

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