Freyja Garbett: 'Sowden House'

Musically, this feels like a film score: the setting of ‘Sowden’ House is the Mayan Revival landmark in Los Angeles designed by Lloyd Wright and once owned by George Hodel, one of the suspects in the murder of Elizabeth Short.

Short (AKA the Black Dahlia) was murdered in January 1947 and the rumour is that she haunts Sowden House. Just 41 seconds of Genesis is a good start to this album: there’s something cinematic and foreshadowing about this track, that’s full of mystery and depth.

Up next is Los Feliz, which refers to the area of LA where Sowden House sits. Suddenly, with Antonio Sanchez, the full orchestral and big band arrangement comes to life, featuring some of the brilliant ensemble Garbett has gathered for her compositions.

Composer, arranger, producer and keyboard player Freyja Garbett is joined on Sowden House by Veronique Serret (violin), Freya Schack-Arnott (cello), Jayden Clark (flute), Thomas Avgenicos (trumpet), Ellen Kirkwood (trumpet), Tessie Overmyer (alto sax), Matthew Keegan (tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet), Michael Avgenicos (tenor sax), Matthew Ottignon (tenor sax), Alex Silver (trombone), Hilary Geddes (guitar), Ben Panucci (guitar), Daniel Pliner (piano, keys), Jacques Emery (electric bass), Maximillian Alduca (double bass), David Symes (electric bass), Carlos Adura (drums), Miles Thomas (drums) and Dominic Kirk (percussion).

Garbett says: “The music has found its own life beyond the game. I was invited by Brendan to compose and record for a video game titled Sowden House. Thanks to his generosity, I was able to write for two very different groups - an incredible funk band and a large ensemble of remarkable musicians I brought together for the project. I will always be proud of this body of work. Best enjoyed with attentive ears, through quality speakers, and with a glass of red in hand.”

As we make it through this wonderful collection of tracks, we pass through the macabre and menacing Asylum into the free darkness of Library and the grooving Trophy Room. Each track - brief and scene-setting for the video game - takes us on an imagined journey through Sowden House with a constant feeling of something hidden and yet to be revealed.

The listener can get lost in Labyrinth (with a gorgeously brief baritone sax solo from Matthew Keegan) before the album finishes with more freedom and quasi-chaos from Drum Ritual that leaves everything somewhat unresolved, just as in the case of the Black Dahlia and the real Sowden House.

‘Sowden House’ from Freyja Garbett is out on Earshift Music from 26 June 2026