“Spaces” by Nils Frahm reviewed

nils_frahm_spaces

Music is about music. Not about life and love.

If there’s one thing that Berlin based composer Nils Frahm knows, it’s music. Innovative, complex and quite brilliant, it seems with every new composition, he explores a new uncharted role of musical and emotional depth. The musician has explored many diverse territories, but his latest and tenth album, Spaces, is about exploring just that.

Unlike many of his previous outings that were made with home listening in mind, Frahm’s tenth album, ‘Spaces‘, was recorded live, over a series of 30 concerts. Often improvised, he wanted the audience to feel the energy of the that snapshot in time- That acoustic space.

Frahm‘s is a fearless artist, pouring soundscapes from his soul, mixing the classical with the electro, and everything about his execution seems effortless and primal. A huge palette of analogue and electronic instruments such as the Juno synthesiser, Fender Rhodes electric piano, tape delay and grand piano at his disposal, Frahm’s creative pursuit and indeniable talent is clear.

The pre-release from ‘Spaces‘, ‘Says‘ brings to mind the raw depth and minimalism of Arvo‘s ‘Spiegal Im Spiegal‘ or Einaudi‘s ‘Walk‘ mixed with the intricacies of the masters of early electro Kraftwerk and Moroder. I’m sure he had none of these artists or pre-concieved ideas in mind when writing and performing these otherworldly sympthanies, and I’d put money that there was nothing on his mind but the music.

The result is incredibly focused and at times extremely breathtaking.

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Post by TR Wicks

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