Vocalist and violinist Alice Zawadzki makes her ECM leader debut with Za Górami ("beyond the mountains"), a luminous and deeply personal song-cycle that gathers melodies from across the folk traditions of Central and Eastern Europe, the Sephardic and Yiddish diaspora, Ladino balladry and her own original writing. Sung in a remarkable range of languages, the album feels less like a recital than a series of half-remembered lullabies and incantations, carried on Zawadzki's pure, weightless voice and the keening lines of her violin. She is joined by two of Britain's most sensitive improvisers: Fred Thomas, who moves fluidly between piano, double bass and delicate percussion, and bassist Misha Mullov-Abbado, whose woody tone anchors the music without ever weighing it down. Together the trio treats these ancient songs as living material, opening them up to improvisation, silence and chamber-like interplay rather than museum-piece preservation. Produced with the spaciousness that defines the label, the recording lets every breath, string resonance and pause register fully. Fragile, otherworldly and quietly devotional, Za Górami is among the most haunting vocal albums ECM has issued in recent years, and confirms Zawadzki as a singular voice in contemporary European song. Released on vinyl as part of ECM's 2026 campaign, the album rewards the format's warmth and dynamic subtlety, drawing the listener deep into its candlelit intimacy. Widely praised on release for its originality and emotional directness, it speaks to anyone who loves the meeting of folk memory, contemporary song and free, exploratory chamber playing.