Agency by William Gibson 
This album collects nearly all of Hughes’ music written for solo piano over 30 years, from when he was still at school to the latest, written just weeks before being recorded in October 2022.
“Variety is very much the point for me. I don’t have a single piano ‘style’, but cut my cloth according to the occasion,” says Hughes in the sleeve notes.
The subsequent collection of music is rewarding. It reminds me of those sample CDs that record labels used to put out, a cross-section of new signings or whatever (they may still do, for fans of vinyl); always good value for money because of the mix of good, new music, and the couple of bands you weren’t so keen on added to the charm. (The best was “Drag City A to Z”, bands like Six Organs of Admittance, Smog and Bonnie Prince Billy linked by comedian Demetri Martin on top form).
This is like those. It opens with the lovely “Song of the Walnut”, written for the composer’s son while he was in utero and the size of a walnut.
Some songs are as lovely, others livelier, some a little discordant but it doesn’t matter because none are very long and something else will be along shortly.
Similarly, some pieces sound like they could be played by a proficient learner, others are more fierce.
Mills is a friend of Hughes and clearly understands the music well.
This came out a little while ago on Divine Art, DDX 21107.
