German pianist Julia Hülsmann made quite the ECM debut with this album alongside bassist Marc Muellbauer and drummer Heinrich Köbberling. Built around the sharp lyricism of its bandleader, the trio takes a democratic approach to soloing, arranging, and performing, balancing the music’s inner spirit with its outer flesh. To be sure, spotlights are thrown here and there, but it’s the passages of unity, as in “Quint” and “Sepia,” that reveal an ethos of shadows. The bassist and drummer also contribute memorable tunes, and their take on Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose” lends grace to the popular.