Nils Frahm is noticeably European. In fact, his compositions could very well have been released centuries ago, in a time of buggies and carriages. Hailing from Hamburg, Frahm had been composing and producing an array of rich music in Berlin for a while now. He moved to LA in 2008 to open up Durton Studio, thenceforth collaborating with Dustin O’Halloran.
Prior to releasing his spellbinding debut album, The Bells, Frahm crafted an extraordinarily well-developed EP called Wintermusik. Originally composed as a holiday gift for loved ones, Wintermusik ended up being the fuel Frahm needed to begin working on a proper album.
When it comes down to vocal-free pianists, the pressure of making every note count is greatly heightened, as there are fewer instruments available to create an inviting, layered effect. This is where Frahm’s ingenuity kicks in. The songs on both albums dig their own musical territory in well weathered soils, using the same shovels as Yann Tiersen does.
Oddly enough, the delicacy of songs like “Small Me” stand out and ring loudly in a time of musical stagnancy. The last thing that I would have wished for right now is a classical pianist racking up listens in my itunes, but, having been seduced by Frahm’s thrilling crescendos and intricate webs of bells, I must say, well done.
The Bells delivers bite-sized potions—almost all of the songs are around three minutes long—but this does not deter from the music’s integrity at all. Like movements in a symphony, the songs meld together into a cleansing orchestra of sound. I imagine that Frahm’s music would be a wonderful companion on a transcontinental train ride through Europe. But I’ll have to test that out for myself.
The Bells will see a release on 27 April
[European] tour dates can be found on MYSPACE
Nils Frahm - Ambre [mp3]
from Wintermusik
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