In Timbre: Paradox, Materialism, Vibrational Aesthetics, Isabella van Elferen explores the manifold ways in which a wide range of thinkers have grappled with timbre in all of its thorniness. There is much to admire here, not least van Elferen's joyous embrace of a tangle of musical genres. But the most powerful aspect of this volume is van Elferen's deft resistance to resolving any of timbre's contradictions or dualities. Instead, this volume teaches us to be comfortable with, indeed to love, the inherently paradoxical nature of timbre.

Emily I. Dolan, Associate Professor of Music, Brown University, USA

The word timbre may be familiar, but it is also emblematic of the inability of words to deal with sound. This fascinating exploration takes the reader through the various attempts to define and understand timbre, towards nothing less than a new aesthetics. It is an exhilarating and deeply considered journey.

Peter Nelson, Professor of Music and Technology, University of Edinburgh, UK