Indie Launchpad: Canto Ostinato
ALBUM REVIEW
April 5, 2026
Indie Launchpad review Metropolis Ensemble’s newest studio album, Canto Ostinato . Read more »
“When I first heard this album, I was absolutely transfixed. It’s a reworking of Simeon Ten Holt’s original Canto Ostinato, and I’m not sure if the magic comes from hearing this version first, or from the added gravity of an ensemble of players, but this version possesses a hypnotic fascination that is almost mesmerizing.
The album is spread over nine tracks, though other interpretations I found have used seven or ten. The work itself is designed to be open to interpretation, setting the context and structure but leaving space for timing, emphasis, and variation. It’s like dropping pebbles into a pond: each ripple repeats, but the subtle differences make each splash uniquely compelling.
Doing a track-by-track review feels almost futile here, music like this rewards immersion rather than scrutiny, but I must mention the opening track, "Sections 1–16". It immediately held me in place for its eleven-and-a-half-minute duration. Beginning simply with xylophone and piano, it quickly reveals a subtle layer underneath, perhaps a struck piano note that shifts in rhythm and timing. My attention constantly scanned those tiny variations before returning to the main motif, creating a trance-like focus. The abrupt ending felt jarring at first, but in retrospect, it serves maybe as a necessary jolt after such deep immersion.
To some, the music may sound like repetition, or even a dirge, but for those attuned to it, it’s meditative and enveloping. Repetition here isn’t monotony, it’s a framework for subtle transformation. Listening, especially on headphones, allows me to hyper-focus: whether writing, programming, or working through a thought process, the music suspends everything else, letting concentration deepen.
Overall, this is an extraordinary album, both in execution and in effect. The combination of ensemble interplay, shifting timbres, and hypnotic loops makes it a work that reveals more with each listen. It’s compelling enough that I’ll be picking up a copy on vinyl, to experience its nuances in full richness.”
-Indie Launchpad
