CD design: Michael Gordon, ‘Clouded Yellow’

Artists: Michael Gordon, composer; Kronos Quartet

Released on Cantaloupe Music, 2018

Clouded Yellow features four pieces: the title track, Exalted, The Sad Park and Potassium. The title of the first refers to the clouded yellow butterfly, which is known in England for its mass migrations; the word “clouded” refers also to the blurred harmonies and melodies of the piece.

Potassium is for amplified string quartet and electronics, with a fuzz box used throughout to lend a mysterious distortion to the sound. The Sad Park is accompanied by recordings of children ages 3 to 4 and their responses to the tragic events of 9/11.

The cover image is a digital collage created from an original image of falling petals while the interior artwork shows the movements of a double pendulum captured in long exposures.