Listen: Nils Frahm - "Wall"

With all the International holidays popping up out of the blue I was surprised to find that something as simple as Piano Day did not already exist. In fact, its only equivalent is a day-long festival that happens every year on the longest day of the year in Make Music NY. And yet, German contemporary pianist Nils Frahm took it upon himself to rectify that through the declaration that from heretofore the 88th day of this year and every year thereafter shall be known as Piano Day. That declaration has been generally well received with the aid of Frahm's label Erased Tapes and worldwide celebrations popping up in London at Rough Trade East, New York City at Rough Trade West, and in Los Angeles at Touch Vinyl.

It seems that Frahm's edict wasn't merely a spur of the minute decision however. Piano Day also is the day Frahm decided to release a surprise album - Solo for free. The album continues in a long line of Frahm's album that suspend the notion of genre and feature Frahm's immersive solo piano music although Solo does so with a bit of a twist. The album was recorded on a prototype of a model of piano which Frahm hopes to fund through the sale of the physical versions of the new record and donations. "Wall", recorded on the KlavinsM370 is the introduction and a sneak peek at the super piano Frahm hopes to fund in piano builder David Klavins' KlavinsM450. The hope is to unveil the creation at festival to celebrate Piano Day in Berlin in 2017.

If you've heard any of Frahm's music before - especially the adventurous take on a live album Spaces, it's hard to believe the man could make his music any more engaging and yet "Wall" with the aid of the KlavinsM370 is like hearing Frahm in surround sound. Beginning with repetitive staccato figures - its starling immense, cavernous, a deluge of sound that's both space-conscious and an absolute inundation. Frahm is no stranger to the magic found in the use of space and yet still, "Wall" takes it to a logical progression - in the pure power of the gargantuan size of the 3.7 meter height of the KlavinsM370. But Frahm's touch is delicate, the new piano has the effortless ability to swallow up everything that Frahm appropriately balances. "Wall" is an all-consuming surge but one that Frahm navigates with his characteristic mastery of space for a piece that balances epic grandeur with intimate charm.



Nils Frahm's new album Solo is available for download now. To read more about Piano Day, the Klavins M370, KlavinsM450, and/or to support its creation go here.

Listen: Nils Frahm - "Says"

German pianist/producer Nils Frahm has made a career out of instrumental music of the genre-defying and intimate sort. Of that there is no question. But "Says", our first peek at Frahm's latest full length Spaces, seeks to take the introspective quality of Frahm's compositions and expand them ever outward - instead of quietly drawing in the listener, in a rare feat (for Frahm especially), it seeks to drag you into Frahm's headspace through a borderline aggressive act of percussive force.

On "Says", Frahm's use of minimalism results in perhaps the longest track in his entire catalog. A sprawling 8 minutes, it relies instead of on the artificial sound of a synth instead of Frahm's more natural piano to set its mood and for tonal coloring. His piano isn't gone, in fact it's still very much present but "Says" pairs the two very different textures into an ambient labyrinth of rising intensity.

The song's elasticity grants a newfound intimacy different than can be glimpses Frahm's shorter musical sketches. Because of the improvisatory nature of Frahm's performances, captured for Spaces, you're given a completely different perspective on Frahm's mental machinations. Listening to the track becomes like following a thought process, relying solely on communication of the nonverbal variety.

It's a stunning treat handled with excellent care from a talented well-rounded artist.



Nils Frahm's Spaces is out November 19th on Erased Tapes America.

Watch: Efterklang - "Hollow Mountain"

After giving us a taste of their upcoming album Piramida with a live video and album trailer, Danish indie rock trio Efterklang are well and truly back and giving us a true glimpse at what we'll be hearing on their new album with a video for album opener and first single "Hollow Mountain".

One of the things the band are most excited about is the field recording they recorded in the arctic ghost town of Spitsbergen and "Hollow Mountain" gives you your first taste of that with the opening crafted from hitting and recording the sound of a oil tank. "Hollow Mountain" also sees the return of frequent Efterklang collaborators Nils Frahm and Peter Broderick providing wurlitzer and strings respectively. Efterklang also goes a bit bigger and more in line with their recent orchestral tour by employing a 60 piece women's choir.

The result is a work of orchestral pop deliciousness - a sauntering arty gem that pairs the mysteriousness of the ghost town which inspired much of the album with Efterklang's pop stylings. There's also a pretty nifty video directed by Oodls that combines the bands photos from Spitsbergen with the album artwork designed by Hvass & Hannibal.



Efterklang's fourth studio album Piramida is out September 25th in the US on 4AD.

 Efterklang - Hollow Mountain by Efterklang