Somehow we've managed to cover 2 brand new tracks from today ('Fred Seul and the excellent 'JUNODEF'), but we clearly have a lovely collection of releases from the last couple of months to catch up on, and one of those is 'Klangriket', the Swedish neo-classical composer who we've featured a couple of times - most recently when he collaborated with Sjors Mans in 'The Amsterdam Sessions'.
His new EP is entitled 'Tjärn', and it was originally written back in 2016 as 'Klangriket' (otherwise known as 'Fabian Rosenberg') started composing, and they do to an extent have a slightly experimental feel, but then I think his music always will, as he both pushes and blurs the boundaries between classical and electronic music. And it is those contrasts in sounds which work so well, occasional harsh tones mix with soft piano notes
The EP opens with 'Elin', a whispering violin and then a simple understated piano theme that instinctively makes me turn up my music system extra loud just to hear the preciseness of sound. I love the phrasing in 'Björk', with a tiny pause that will make you anticipate the next note and which just seems to throw everything slightly off kilter. 'Ljusterö' in many ways sounds the most conventional of the 4 tracks, a beautiful and quite simple piano melody that's intelligently phrased, and the almost trademark 'Klangriket' approach of letting us hear the inner workings of the piano, whilst 'Skogsrå' through use of gently searing electronica sdevelops an incredible intensity to it, whilst also managing to send me into a totally calm and peaceful frame of mind.
I have so much time for 'Klangriket's' intimate and thoughtful compositions, which remind me (as I've probably said previously) of '1900' in terms of the texture of sound and attention to detail, whilst also fitting into the 'Max Richter' sphere of music that I also love. And I'm sure I've read somewhere that there is an album being produced too, although I have no idea where I saw that, so if it turns out to be untrue then you definitely didn't hear that from us....
'Tjärn' is released through the collaborative 'Piano and Coffee' label, who are based in Lima, Peru.