Back catalogue: Modern Classical

Review: Iceland's Olafur Arnalds (Kiasmos) and German multi-instrumentalist Nils Frahm team up again for some breathtaking excursions in classical/ambient crossover bliss. Frahm's sombre piano passages gently dance over Arnalds' serene soundscapes and eerie field recordings on this bittersweet and emotive journey. What was meant to be a one hour video recording of the duo in action turned out to be an eight hour long improvisation session and these are some of the segments of the wonderful marathon recording. We particularly enjoyed the gorgeously haunting electronic soul captured on "23:52" where those analogue synth strings just rise and rise to an epic climax.

Review: A decade on from its original release, this compilation remains a spellbinding window into the musical mind of one of modern music's most innovative figures. As comfortable behind a grand piano as a homemade synth, Frahm brings his taste for boundary-blurring to this curated journey. Consider this a love letter to his inspirations and a reflection of his multifaceted artistry. The compilation weaves classical greats, jazz legends, ambient pioneers and experimental mavericks into a singular, late-night odyssey. Vladimir Horowitz's crackling rendition of 'The Flight of the Bumblebee' connects Frahm's own virtuosic piano play to the classical canon, while Miles Davis' smoky 'Generique' and 'Concierto de Aranjuez (Adagio)' speak to the atmospheric jazz undercurrents that color much of his work. Nina Simone's aching rendition of 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes' carries the same stripped emotional core that Frahm achieves in his more minimalist moments. Elsewhere, the warmth of Dub Tractor's 'Cirkel' and the ghostly dub of Rhythm & Sound's 'Mango Drive' nod to his love of minimalism beyond genre. Boards of Canada's slow-burning 'In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country' is also featured, showing the esteem Frahm holds these newer tracks in, nestling among legendary musical acts of the past. From Colin Stetson's avant-garde saxophone to Bibio's lush textures, the compilation spans eras and aesthetics with cohesion and care. It's not just a mixtape - it's a tribute, a seriously rich tapestry of influences that shaped a singular voice.

Review: In recent years, traditional instrumentalists have gained many more new fans then in years past. Why music scholars can debate why, we just think it's because of the great composers like Germany's Nils Frahm being found. His latest titled Day, presents six pieces that stride between poignant and melancholy. The placement of microphones to record lend itself to the depth of each piece. Picking up room sounds and even a dog barking in the background, help add to the depth and mood of each program. Nils is effortless on the piano as he gently paints with his fingertips. The beauty in these mostly piano compositions like 'Butter Notes', 'Changes' and 'Hands On' are breathtakingly peaceful, stark and ultimately, very moving. Memory provoking music. When you get a Nils Frahm album, you aren't just buying an album. You are buying peace on earth in the form of music.
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Review: In 2018, Nils Frahm initiated the "Encores" series: a trilogy of EPs exploring different aspects of his musical world. Here, those sets get gathered together on vinyl for the very first time. Listened to in sequence, it sees the Berlin-based pianist and composer offer up solo acoustic pieces for piano and harmonium (tracks 1 to 5), before layering up piano, processed field recordings and complimentary instrumentation on a suite of sublime ambient tracks (6 to 9). The final section of the album - originally "Encores 3" - sees him flip the script entirely, working almost exclusively with a combination of modular and analogue synthesizers and electronically processed voices. That the collection hangs together as a coherent album despite these stylistic shifts is testament to Frahm's abilities both as a performer and producer.

Review: RECOMMENDED
Even the most determinedly understated chin-strokers will likely have emitted a squeal of delight when this one was announced. Everyone's favourite electronic producer-cum-contemporary composer (or vice versa?) releasing his latest works of art across two media - namely an album on cult hero label Erased Tapes, and a movie available on highbrow streaming service Mubi.

This is the audio, and while nobody who caught the video when it was available to view on-demand could argue this is just as powerful on its own, the solo sound is still an intoxicating and compelling ride. 'The Dane' is classy piano bliss, '#2' sits in the big room electronica end of things, 'Fundamental Values' is a scatty, broken ambient journey to the edges of drum 'n' bass, 'Enters' opens on long, ambient refrains.

Review: Coming from a classical piano background, Nils Frahm has certainly turned into one dark dude! Having already released plenty of works on a myriad of labels, he lands on London-based Erase Tapes with what is probably one of his wildest pieces of music to date. Spanning 12 tracks in total, Frahm goes from joyful odes to the piano over to psychedelic synth improvisations to what sound like intricate tape manipulations, nutty drum-machine programming and a bag full o'field recordings. If you're into the idea of Tchaikovsky on some serious amounts of stimulants then look no further, this guy is shaping the way pianos are played...

Review: After nearly two years since his acclaimed Music For Animals, Nils Frahm returns with a live recording captured at Paris's Philharmonie. Known for his inventive, expansive performances, Frahm brings new life to his extensive catalogue, weaving through reimagined tracks and debuting the immersive new piece, 'Opera'. This release captures a single night's performance, showcasing Frahm's ability to captivate audiences at iconic venues worldwide. Frahm's seamless blend of composition and spontaneity here underscores why he's one of today's most sought-after artists, offering a rich snapshot of his evolving artistry.