German multi-instrumentalist Stephan Micus (born 1953) with his 18th release for ECM: an eight-part suite, once again combining instruments from many different world regions. Micus’ approach to music-making originates in his extended travels through Asia, South America and Africa since 1972. He has never contented himself with learning the playing techniques of indigenous instruments but always seeks to remove them from their cultural contexts and to compose a new sound world for them. Employing multi-track recording, the opulent choirs and instrumental ensembles on “Snow” are all sung and played by Micus himself. There is an extended and particularly soulful duduk solo accompanied by Bavarian zither, there’s an improvisation on charango, the miniature guitar from the Andes and there is Micus’ own voice intoning songs of nature, wide open spaces and solitude…