Anais Drago is an Italian violinist who experiments on the borders between classical and jazz. She was unknown to me until I heard her interpretaion of Satie’s Gnossiene (on Mondo Jazz) and I had to hear more. I was not disappointed. Solitudo includes the Satie, but the rest of the pieces are her own, innovative compositions. While it’s solo violin, Drago employs effects, samples, and various electronic embellishments that thicken the sound considerably. In the wrong hands, that can be a little wonky, seemingly compensating for music that lacks its own thrust. Not so here. The album is continuously engaging, but I’d specifically recommend the Gnossiene, Firma Mentis and Horror Vacui.