A selection of the best tracks discovered in March 2020. Chosen by the Danish music blog Musik Mig Blidt
www.musikmigblidt.dk

Guldkorn marts 2020

March > spring 2020

Official Piano Day 2020 Playlist
Happy Piano Day!

Artwork: Alice Baldwin.

Piano Day 2020 Playlist

A selection of tracks from Piano Day 2020 arranged for continuous listening. 

http://www.pianoday.org

Photo by Ilenia F. on Unsplash

Piano Day 2020 Selections

Piano

A new piece from my upcoming new LP 'ELASTIKANIMAL'.

Out in May, 12th on 1631 Recordings.
www.facebook.com/1631recordings/

Feat.
Laura PRIEU - Violin
Aude FADE - Viola
Emmanuelle BACQUE // Juliane Trémoulet - Cellos
Romain COLAUTTI - Double Bass

Recorded & Mixed by A.BRUNET at CELESTINE RECORDS
www.celestinerecords.com/

Mastered by JC PANIZZA at CLIMAX MASTERING
www.climax-mastering.com/

Contact Press officer:

Nicolas FAVIER
e-mail // communication@la-centrifugeuse.fr
Phone number // 06 34 06 21 09

Cairn

To coincide with Piano Day 2017 we share a cover of an old Penguin Cafe Orchestra song by Penguin Cafe from their upcoming new album 'The Imperfect Sea' - out on Erased Tapes 5th May 2017.

"This piece by my father has always been a favourite of mine and when we were playing in the studio last year with making rocks resonate through the soundboard of the piano, the drone on F# made me think of it immediately. The transition between free-form and structure allows for space and some more expressionist moments and then the simple yet rather beautiful melody creates a sort of profound optimism I think." — Arthur Jeffes

Pre-order 'The Imperfect Sea' on Vinyl, CD and DL here: phonofile.link/the-imperfect-sea

The iconic Penguin Cafe join the Erased Tapes family and open a brand new chapter to their unique world with new album The Imperfect Sea.

A penguin stands in the middle of a scorching desert, far away from its natural habitat. This mirrors composer Arthur Jeffes’ journey and exploration into a new musical territory. Penguin Cafe have evolved into something of their own at the hands of Arthur who started the band in 2009 with the continuation and homage to his father’s legacy, to the late Simon Jeffes’ Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Now, their upcoming album echoes reminiscent sounds that embrace the new.

The album title refers to a saying by his father that “we wade in a sea of imperfections…”, reflecting upon the idea that beauty can be found amongst the chaos. “If there is a narrative to the album it’s coming to the acceptance of the imperfections in all aspects of life; moreover, the recognition that these imperfections and tiny randomnesses are in fact what make up the best parts”, Arthur explains. This has also been highlighted by the striking cover artwork designed by FELD under the art direction of label founder Robert Raths, resembling a lone figure adapting to and accepting its surrounding environment.

Predominantly self-composed, the new album also features covers of electronic works by Simian Mobile Disco and Kraftwerk, along with a re-working of Simon's 'Now Nothing'. Arthur has developed from the traditional folk and jazz heritage Penguin Cafe Orchestra is known for into another realm of blissful ambience and dance music, recreated using strictly acoustic elements.

“For this album I wanted to effect a departure from where we’d been up to now. The idea was to create a musical world that would feel familiar to an audience more used to dance records but stay true to our own values. So we replaced electronic layers with real instruments: pads with real string sections, synths with heavily-effected pianos, and atmospheric analogue drones with real feedback loops ringing through a stone and a piano soundboard.”

On the day of release, the band will play a headline show at New York’s Le Poisson Rouge, commencing the beginning of this new adventure for Penguin Cafe.

The Imperfect Sea

Buy LP/CD/DL

Penguin Cafe - Now Nothing (Rock Music)

Simple Pleasures

Seahenge

Bowrain - Refugee, from the upcoming album Distracted.
Single released on October 13th, full album available on November 4th, 2017.
More info: http://www.bowrain.org/

DISTRACTED http://goo.gl/VBy746
Facebook  https://goo.gl/kYBGiL
Twitter  https://goo.gl/jvF5pA
Soundcloud  https://goo.gl/f7yFoi
Spotify  https://goo.gl/NYdk5c
iTunes   https://goo.gl/Pbkuxs

Refugee (single)

03 - How's Up There

Usually I do a million takes when I record a new song. This time I stopped around take 10 to prevent perfectionism taking over.. 
So, it’s not super precise, but hey! I finished something! 
I hope you enjoy it. 

*Alice

Unverzagt

Written by Augustine / Rassmus Björnson / Agrin Rahmani / Sebastian Lundberg / David Gustafsson
Produced by Augustine / Rassmus Björnson / Agrin Rahmani

Viola

'Wait For Now', out now on Ninja Tune: https://tco.lnk.to/waitfornowSo

Follow The Cinematic Orchestra -
Spotify: https://found.ee/tco-sp
Apple Music: https://found.ee/tco-am
Instagram: https://found.ee/tco-ig
Facebook: https://found.ee/tco-fb
Twitter: https://found.ee/tco-tw
Youtube: https://found.ee/tco-yt
Soundcloud: https://found.ee/tco-sc

Wait For Now

Wait For Now (Mary Lattimore Rework) [feat. Tawiah]

On October 4th 2019, Penguin Cafe released 'Handfuls of Night', the highly anticipated follow-up to their much applauded 2017 album 'The Imperfect Sea' 

Using gut-stringed violins, viola, cello, bass, percussion, upright and grand pianos, synthesiser, harmonium and more, Arthur Jeffes and his cohorts have crafted a vivid series of panoramic sonic landscapes, that are as rich in cerebral poignancy as they are in emotional depth.

Bookended by the atmospheric ambient piano pieces ‘Winter Sun’ and ‘Midnight Sun’, the album traverses glacial minimalism with ease, combining their signature contemporary classical panoramas, such as the melancholic yet upbeat lead track ‘At the Top of the Hill, They Stood...’ and the colossal cinematic piece ‘Chapter’, with the crystalline folktronica on ‘Pythagorus on the Line Again’ — a re-visiting and continuation of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra’s 1993 Union Cafe song on the principles of harmonics.

'Handfuls of Night' began life after Greenpeace commissioned Jeffes to write four pieces of music corresponding to four breeds of penguins, to help raise awareness for the endangered Antarctic seas . A fundraising evening at EartH in Hackney followed, where Penguin Cafe premiered the four songs named after their feathered counterparts to a sold out audience; the rousing contemporary folk inflected ‘Chinstrap’, the mournful and minimalistic ‘Adelie’, stoic and rhythmic ‘The Life of an Emperor’ and the wistful, string-laden ‘Gentoo Origin’.

“Such is its mastery of slowly uncoiling drama you can almost taste the salt in the breeze" ★★★★ — MOJO⠀
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"Arthur Jeffes' music has a direct clarity. Dramatic swells and sweeps showcase the jaw-dropping landscape. Most importantly, though, the music carries an environmental message, which is a critical issue for this generation" — A Closer Listen ⠀
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"One of their most impeccable moments to date" ★★★★ — Music OMH ⠀
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"Elegiac strides across epic landscapes... Arthur Jeffes is doing the legacy of his father proud" — Prog Magazine ⠀
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"Another winner from this group, with Jeffes and company mixing minimalism, folk music and classical string writing into a charming combination” ★★★★ — All About Jazz ⠀
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"A sensitive, frequently lovely follow-up to 2017’s ‘The Imperfect Sea… Handfuls of Night’ conjures pastoral panoramas and weathered vistas" — DJ Magazine⠀

Handfuls of Night

Midnight Sun

Penguin Cafe - Midnight Sun

Purchase: ariarostamidanielblomquist.bandcamp.com/album/floating-tone
Catalog #: GN58
February 28, 2020
CASSETTE+DIGI

**The eighth installment in Geographic North’s long-running Sketch for Winter series, which highlights compositions intentionally crafted for the colder season.**

Unsung heroes of the ambient underground, Aria Rostami and Daniel Blomquist have quietly created some of the most aurally alluring sounds released in the past five years. And although that time has solidified the duo’s prowess of production and tenacity of texture, it has also shown its share of disruption and disorder. Having met and recorded all of their past works together in San Francisco, Sketch for Winter VIII: Floating Tone marks the first release made by the pair apart, with Rostami’s recent move to Brooklyn. But rather losing touch or stalling collaboration, the duo’s bond only grew stronger. 

Rather than perform live improvisations in the same room, Rostami and Blomquist repeatedly passed material back and forth to be altered over time - sometimes involving extensive alterations, and others barely none. The result brings an astoundingly varied mix of melody, texture, and movement. 

“The Sloping Tower” seeps into focus in a haze of pristine clatter, celestial chords, and synthetic detritus. Distant disembodied voices appear through rippling waves of melody, leaving only a tapestry of tattered sound. “The Sleeping Floor” meanders with a nocturnal melody that lulls and placates with a deft, delicate touch. A-side closer “The Guessing Hand” cultivates a seething but subtle soirée of nonchalant noir, suggesting some solemn and forgotten subterranean piano bar.

“The Running Glass” wafts in a cloud of blissful warmth, backlit with dimmed glee and neon vibrancy. “The Sinking Tone” turns the focus back to our piano, heaving in a lush and all-consuming storm of shimmering texture and noise. “The Floating Table” closes things out with utter resolve, reflecting on the receding action and dabbling in some amorphous beauty. 

It’s a powerful new chapter in Rostami and Blomquist’s journey that solidifies their past and suggests endless opportunities ahead.

Aria Rostami & Daniel Blomquist - "The Floating Table"

"Transitions II" is the second chapter of the "Transitions" trilogy concept which began with the previous EP, back in November 2019. 
All these songs, mostly around 1 minute and half of length, are part of the "piano microstores" project, which has been developed last year on my IG profile consisting in releasing one short piano story per day during all the summer season.

That Feeling, Though

"Duvet" taken from Niklas Paschburg's second studio album 'Svalbard', out on February 28th 2020.

Pre-order album now: 7K.lnk.to/svalbard

Niklas Paschburg - Duvet

Scene Suspended

#pianoday2020

Taken from the album 'To Believe (Remixes)', released 6 March on Ninja Tune: http://tco.lnk.to/remixesSo

Follow James Heather -
Spotify: http://found.ee/jheather-sp
Apple Music: http://found.ee/jheather-am
Instagram: http://found.ee/jheather-ig
Facebook: http://found.ee/jheather-fb
Twitter: http://found.ee/jheather-tw
Youtube: http://found.ee/jheather-yt
Soundcloud: http://found.ee/jheather-sc

Follow The Cinematic Orchestra -
Spotify: https://found.ee/tco-sp
Apple Music: https://found.ee/tco-am
Instagram: https://found.ee/tco-ig
Facebook: https://found.ee/tco-fb
Twitter: https://found.ee/tco-tw
Youtube: https://found.ee/tco-yt
Bandcamp: https://found.ee/tco-bc
Soundcloud: https://found.ee/tco-sc

To Believe (Remixes)

A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life (James Heather Rework) [feat. Roots Manuva]

Out now on Strangers Candy (www.strangerscandy.com).

Want It Kept

Written and Produced by Agustín Mena
Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri at Black Knoll Studio (NY)
Photography by Alexander Kopatz
www.go70north.com
Archives66 // ArchivesCD47
Archives / 2020

life

Buy 12"/CD/Cass/Dig

Warmth - Safe

This track is quoted from the album 'Fresh Air'.
Listening to all tracks of the album and freedownload are available on the link below.

https://gallerysix.bandcamp.com/album/fresh-air

生まれたての空はかくも青くどこまでも透んでいる 
それはこの地球上の総てのものに平たく与えられ 
誰もが感じ心に留めておくことができる 
あの空になりたいと願いその色に触れてみる 

The newborn sky is so blue and endlessly transparent 
It is given equally to everything on this earth 
Everything can feel and keep in mind 
I wish I could become that sky and touch that color 

----------------------------------- 

新型コロナウィルスのパンデミックにより外出禁止を余儀なくされている方々、また様々なストレスを抱えて不安や怒りを感じている方々へ、このアルバムが一服の清涼剤になれば幸いです。どうか冷静に、忍耐強く。 

※新型コロナウィルスの終息宣言がなされるまでの無料ダウンロードアルバムとなります。 

I hope this album could be refreshing for those who are forced to be quarantined, and who feel anxiety, anger due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Please be calm and patient. 

[Notification] 
This album will be free until the end of 
COVID-19 (coronavirus) is declared.

All tracks are produced by Hidekazu Imashige 
Cover Photo by Hidekazu Imashige

Free Download

Drift About

thesisproject.bandcamp.com/album/thesi…artyn-heyne

Ben Lukas Boysen - editing, zen garden.
Martyn Heyne - guitar, organ.

Composed, mixed, and mastered by Martyn Heyne + Ben Lukas Boysen at Lichte Studio Berlin.
Additional engineering by Matthias H. Franz Hahn. Vinyl cut by Mike Grinser.

Thank You!
Gregory Euclide, Matthias H. Franz Hahn, everyone at Manners McDade, Erased Tapes Records & Publishing, Claudia Gödke, and Karolina Zenobia Heyne.

Dedicated to Frieda and Frau Bellmann.

Thesis 16

& Martyn Heyne - June

During our time of self quarantine, a few friends decided to give ourselves a week to make a piece of music. The goal was simple: be creative and open. I've been working on my new album and with my humble setup, started noodling with a simple chord progression and built it up from there. 

The water sound is a recording I made at the 9/11 Memorial in June 2019. Visiting the memorial for the first time, I was overwhelmed by the sound of the site. The huge water fall, descending to the reflecting pool below, sounded like a chorus of grief to me. Listening back to the recording later, I started to hear more in the sheets of sound. I remembered standing there and looking up to the sky where the towers once reached and then over to where the Freedom Tower now stood. I knew there was more than grief present, there was hope. 

I've seen many people compare our current time to 9/11. Having lived in NY during 9/11 and now a global pandemic, there are certainly many similarities. The first responders then and those on the frontlines now remind me that we have to focus on helping each other and moving ahead. We have to hope, but not passively so. This is work and we are all responsible. 

This piece, 'Hope,' bridges two traumatic times in my life and the world's. I felt comforted while writing it and I hope that it calms you and offers you some sense of peace.

Hope

To mark this year’s 88th day and as an acknowledgement to these unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in, Piano Day founder, pianist and producer Nils Frahm releases a collection of eight solo piano pieces titled 'Empty'. 

Stream and download 'Empty': https://idol.lnk.to/nils-frahm-empty

Conceived of just before Nils broke his thumb and composed the similarly intimate solo piano album 'Screws', 'Empty' is a soothing vessel of eight simple and serene pieces originally recorded as the music to a short art film he shot with his friend and film director Benoit Toulemonde. Drifting through emotions from the stark and sobering opener 'First Defeat', to the gently euphoric 'No Step On Wing' and the contemplative but hopeful closer 'Black Notes', with its poignant minute of silence, 'Empty' is a comforting score for these turbulent times.

“When I came back from the hospital with a broken thumb and listened to the recordings, I felt they were unfinished. I decided to put them aside and started to work on my small album, 'Screws'. 

Many many other notes of the piano have been struck since these days, and before we all forget about this, I thought it would be a good moment to share these lullabies with you. I hope they help you stay all strong and calm in these days of solitude – despite the hardship, we can discover introspection and reflection unexpectedly. Who knows what it is good for.  
 
Much love, Nils”

Empty

No Step On Wing

Stream & order LP · CD

Nils Frahm - No Step On Wing

London based pianist and composer Mike Lazarev @headphonecommute celebrates Piano Day 2020 with this delicate offering. 
. . . 
far beyond a time-slice of the past lies a short-lived moment
in that memory, I played the piano and you listened
now all that/s left is that memento and this music
and while i/m forgetting it lives on...
 . . .
Stream on Spotify, AppleMusic : https://orcd.co/forgetting-almost

Forgetting, Almost

Spotify/AppleMusic

Mike Lazarev - Forgetting, Almost

Happy #pianoday2020! Once again, I've uploaded a little EP with a songs recorded in the last few days. This year: lots of felt, inspirations from the traditional Japanese Shō and Bach. 

https://woolookologie.bandcamp.com/album/piano-day-2020

piano day 2020

Name your price

Night sky, blanket | Piano Day 20

Kindred piano lovers Peter Broderick and David Allred have gifted the sheet music for their song Hey Stranger, taken from their collaborative 2017 record Find The Ways. Reminding us of the importance and power of friendship, it was originally performed on double bass, with Peter on violin and the two singing together. David kindly recorded this solo piano version to make it easier for you to follow the notes.

www.allredbroderick.com
www.pianoday.org

Find The Ways

Hey Stranger (Solo Piano Version)

Free sheet music

Allred & Broderick - Hey Stranger (Solo Piano Version)

Founded by sonic architect and explorer Robert Raths aka ghostworker in 2007, Erased Tapes is a truly independent record label that has disrupted the industry and rejuvenated the musical landscape. The London-based label has consistently nurtured genre-defying artists from all around the world without losing its avant-garde ethos.

2015 saw BBC 6 Music radio presenter Mary Anne Hobbs stage an Erased Tapes evening featuring Nils Frahm and A Winged Victory For The Sullen at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the prestigious BBC Prom. It was the fastest selling ticket of the entire season. Shortly after Erased Tapes was awarded Best Small Label 2015 at the AIM Awards.

On February 5th 2017 Erased Tapes opened the doors to its new East London home, marking the 10th anniversary by introducing fans and the public to the new Erased Tapes Sound Gallery.

“Ten years of one of the most important record labels of the last few years“ — Gilles Peterson

"Over the last decade, Robert Raths’ label Erased Tapes has developed a sonic profile perfectly in step with the growing taste for quiet, meditative works on the cusp of ambient and chamber music" — The Independent

“The heart-string-tugging London label that floats gently between 20th century composition and ambient music” — Rolling Stone