17 songs for 17 paintings of the forest.

This is the sixth album 'The Hidden Forest' from Anoice, an instrumental music band featuring a dark and cinematic sound. Because of the effects of the spread of coronavirus, Anoice decided to cancel all upcoming tours in March last year, and after that, released new works from Anoice and the members' solo/side projects; Yuki Murata, RiLF, Films, Mizu Amane, Cru, and Tokyo Ambient Collective and took charge of soundtracks for movies and TV drama series, but have now finally completed Anoice's new album after the longest ever production period in their history.

This album 'The Hidden Forest' took inspiration from 17 paintings of the forest painted by Naoko Okada, and includes 17 songs with the same title as each of the paintings, with a total length of 72 minutes. It consists of mainly beautiful neo-classical songs played by a piano and string quartet such as the first lead single 'a perfect day for a funeral' and 'second coming', and also spectacular songs with dynamic drums like the powerful ground, such as the second lead single 'quiet wish' and 'the promised day' and sometimes quiet ambient music made of collaboration with the nature sounds such as 'into the light' and 'trickery and butterflies'. You can find similar themed melodies and patterns of the codes, with similar instrument formations through the whole album, but no two are identical, just like the leaves of trees within the forest.

In addition, one of the biggest features of this album production process is having used not only recording studios but also power of nature such as forests and rivers. You may be able to feel as though you are standing quietly in the forest via the songs with the sounds of animals such as birds, owls, insects, and flogs and the nature such as wind, water, and squeaking trees which were sometimes recorded in a foggy forest, sometimes in a dark forest in middle of the night, and sometimes in a forest where a strong wind blew.

This album with the tension in the air will be hopefully be remembered in history as one of the most beautiful dark music albums of all time.

The Hidden Forest

BandCamp

the promised day (Anoice 'The Hidden Forest')

long story (Anoice 'The Hidden Forest')

from 'Carlos Cipa & Sophia Jani - Relive' [CD|LP|DIGITAL]
Denovali Records · den192
available in January on all formats at [denovali.com/carloscipa]

CARLOS CIPA, musician and composer residing in Munich (Germany), has been teaming up with pianist and composer SOPHIA JANI to follow up his highly acclaimed full length debut “The Monarch and the Viceroy“ with a two-piece collaboration record named RELIVE.

Carlos discovered his passion for music very early in his life. At the age of 6 he began taking classical piano lessons with various renowned teachers. Ten years later after he started playing drums in different bands he became more and more interested in composition and improvisation. In the following years he made experiences in different music styles like jazz, hardcore/punk, indie rock and orchestral music. For his debut record on Denovali Records he focused on his main instrument, the piano. Currently, he is studying classical composition at the “University of Music and Performing Arts Munich”.

Since the release of his debut record, Carlos so far shared the stage with marvelous acts like A Winged Victory For The Sullen, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds.

Sophia Jani, being in the beginning of her twenties like Carlos, has discovered her fascination for piano in a similar age. She is classically trained on piano and violin and has deepened her skills at the conservatory of music in Munich before she began studying piano at the conservatory in Bordeaux, France. Sophia left Bordeaux after one year turning away from just interpreting classical pieces to concentrate on writing her own music. Taking this crucial step, a concert of Ludovico Einaudi she attended played an important role. Recently Sophia developed an interest in filmscoring as well as experimenting with vocals. Besides classical composers like Chopin and Ravel, filmmusic especially from Bernard Hermann and Thomas Newman influenced her compositions.

The two pieces “Anouk’s Dream” and “Whatever a Sun Will Always Sing” were written for Carlo’s and Sophia’s performance at the Denovali Swingfest 2013 in Essen. The idea was to jointly compose two piano pieces for four hands, which do not only include playing the ordinary way, but also utilising rather unusual sounds from inside the piano. Carlos and Sophia used all kinds of contemporary techniques to create these sounds, like plucking and beating the strings with their fingers or different kinds of beaters, bowing them with nylon guitar strings, creating harmonics while pressing fingers down on the strings during playing, using the „aeolian harp“-technique (used for the first time by Henry Cowell in 1923) or creating beats on the cast iron frame. Throughout the two tracks nothing other than their combined fingers, the two nylon strings and three different kinds of beaters were used to create the music, the pieces can be played live without using any electronics.

During the recording process of the album RELIVE, neither of the compositions has been changed in any way. They were played exactly as in the live situation, which was a very important theme throughout this collaboration.

Carlos Cipa & Sophia Jani - Whatever A Sun Will Always Sing (Snippet)

This album was written during slow hours with little intention beyond staying present. Piano leads each piece with light strings or a single woodwind appearing only when the space allows. The sound remains soft, steady, and unobtrusive.

These tracks are meant for reading, studying, writing, or quiet routines. Each piece reflects a real place or moment observed briefly and left untouched. Nothing here asks for attention. It is music meant to sit beside focus rather than interrupt it.

Kitchen Table at Daybreak

Being Held

Après le solstice d'été

My new album, Secret Book will be released on March 21st 2017 on Memory Recordings Label.

You, Again

formally composed for Stanieri, a play by Antonio Tarantino directed by Gianluca Merolli. With Francesco Biscione, Paola Sambo e Gianluca Merolli.

original music: luca longobardi

Stranieri (main theme)

Life can hit you hard at some point. But the day you decide you're no longer a victim, you live again. Live, live, live!

Black Rose

AminAshkan

Recent comments

chizmaker

chizmaker

chizmaker

chizmaker

Related tracks