William Gardiner's "Onliving" marries brevity and wistfulness. At just under twenty minutes, the piece, scored for clarinet, piano, cello, electronics, violin, and flute, never drifts too far into cinematic territory, which, I suppose, is another way to say that my attention never strays too far from the music itself. Gardiner employs electronics subtly - increasing the slight dissonances present as notes decay or using them to build a single line into a more dense section. Like the whole work, these moments never go on too long, and it seems that this sort of restraint helps keep it from going overboard - becoming too evocative, too romantic (in the more galloping sense of the word). The outright beauty of the piano introduction to "The Loving Bells," the second section, disarms me each time I hear it. The nod to Do Make Say Think in the one sheet seems quite apt, but I can't help but hear so much of Rachel's "The Sea and the Bells" especially in the harmonies between clarinet and cello and the surging rhythms. The wonderful surprise of this recording brought back the feeling of first hearing the Rachel's ten or so years ago - hearing music that felt approachable and like a bit of an escape all at once. 8/10 -- Howard Martin (21 October, 2009)