Matthew Kilner – Lives Move Like Circles

Music: Matthew Kilner
Producer, recording & mixing engineer: Douglas Whates
Mastering engineer: Christoph Stickel
Cover image: Mark Quinn

Anyone who enjoyed the Matthew MKilner Quartet at Cowdray Hall during the Aberdeen Jazz Festival will have been watching out for his promised EP.  It has now been released and is called Lives Move Like Circles. Although it is only three songs long they last for just over 19 minutes.  The other two songs are called Kindred and Hygge.

Matthew Kilner wrote all three beautiful pieces of music and plays them on his saxophone.  He is accompanied by Graeme Stephen and Kevin Henderson playing guitars, Neil Birse on piano and Elie Afif on bass.  These five talented musicians play wonderfully together and each song has a very distinctive sound.

The EP was explained at the concert in March, as being inspired by the passing of Matthew’s grandad and celebrating the time we do have during our lives, to spend with friends and family.  The Danish term Hygge came to many people’s attention in the Disney movie Frozen and this tune has the cosy warm feeling that the word is used to describe.  Kindred is a haunting, wandering river of a melody that pulls us along with it.  It’s impossible not to hang on the saxophone’s every note.  The idea that Lives Move Like Circles is an interesting one to ponder as the song pulls these musicians and their instruments into the circle of their ensemble, and its a very good thing they all came together in this way.

This is not the kind of music to listen to when driving, not really suitable for when doing any activity such as washing up.  Rather it deserves to be concentrated on, savoured completely; preferably with the feet up and a favourite drink in hand.  Let it seep in through your ears and take over your every thought for 20 minutes, the best bit of wellbeing advice I could ever give.  This is the kind of music that can soothe your soul.

This EP will be available as a limited edition vinyl from 12 June 2026, which will take the listening enjoyment to another level for any of us who enjoy the experience of vinyl.