I seem to be able to find some quiet time on Sundays to record more piano...

Mike Lazarev - Impromptu 03.09

Sometimes the universe has its way of reminding you of what’s important in life. You get caught up in all your bullshit, and then, one morning, you wake up and suddenly hit that point which truly makes you take a step back, look around, and reassess everything you have been “building” up until this moment. That nagging, stressful, and upsetting thing right over there? Well, that can wait. Perhaps you’ll get to it another day. And if not, well, it will still be there. But for now, you can give yourself permission just to breathe. In and out. Ah… That’s so much better. Thankfully for me, I have this thing that I call music, which I can turn to for an hour every morning and spend some time, like with a friend. And in the end, this post with words that you are reading right now is just my way of sharing those precious single moments with you, when we can simply breathe. Today I am spending sharing my time in the company of a Norwegian composer and pianist, Ole-Bjørn Talstad, who just got signed to the beloved Moderna for his debut, titled Ferd. The album collects eight miniature solo piano pieces that add up to just a bit over 19 minutes in length, and their elegant, intimate, and emotional narrative truly resonates with every cell of my being. As I do with most solo piano compositions, I listen to them in my headphones. This somehow transports me to my own recording sessions in front of an upright piano and close-placed microphones next to the hammers, slightly caressing the strings through the felt. Suddenly, just as I felt with one of my favourite records by Otto A. Totland, it’s as if I’m playing this music myself. I’m hearing the music the way Talstad is hearing it. One simple note at a time. And in between the keys, in all of their ease and purity, is where I find my peace. I hope that you will find yours too.

Ferd

Utsikt

TRACK PREMIERE : Ole-Bjørn Talstad - Utsikt

I've got a very lovely piano piece for you this morning from the ever-lovely Moderna imprint, which continues to scour the hidden corners of the scene to bring you some of the most heartfelt music. This one comes from the emerging [and pretty young] Augsburg-based (Germany) composer Linus Alberg, offering us his label debut, titled Elements. On this collection of eight tracks, Alberg shares his sentimentality, initially inspired by the changing of the seasons but somehow evoking something else entirely, at least in me, as if uncovering a buried key to a forgotten memory. His incredible compositional musicality is only surpassed by the execution, whereby remarkably gentle melodies effortlessly flutter in the curated space, held together by the solid bass, frequency-rich harmonium, and occasional echoes of the breathy trumpet, played here by Matthias Lindermayr. Oh, but then, there is that Yamaha upright that carries a flavour so lush of its own. Here, Alberg is able to ring out the textural tone shifts with his exceptional, flawless control of the instrument, painting wide pastel landscapes with a gorgeous sonic palette. And yeah, okay, I am jealous. I'm jealous that I'm no longer in my twenties, making music as beautiful as this. But that is okay. I'm delighted. I'm happy to sidestep and listen and offer this space to a lovely new voice.

Elements

Vienna

TRACK PREMIERE : Linus Alberg - Vienna

For today’s program I’ve invited Orla Wren, an artist from North England releasing music on Flau, Facture, Home Normal, and most recently Oak Editions, to share with you his favorite pieces, which happen to be from film. It’s a beautiful chronicle, with its own special plot and emotional journey: 

"For this mix I collected many fragments of music, dialogue and foley sounds which were taken directly from the films themselves and which I then arranged variously and carefully placed to construct some possible narrative. I always feel drawn to the most intimate moments within a film, most often I find it’s where the music and story hold the most emotion and poignancy. This mix is made with love and respect for the film makers, actors and the musicians, thank you for the beautiful moments." - Orla Wren 

Orla Wren - Filmscores Two

Steve Luck is from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK, and he composes quiet, emotional, and beautifully pure solo piano music. Besides releasing these heartfelt vignettes, Luck has also composed for film and television, and in 2007, he won two awards from the Royal Television Society for professional excellence in music. A few years ago, I featured his piece on the Contemplative Classical playlist, which I have been curating on and off [hmm, I really should get back into updating it]. Today, he is appearing on this sincere platform recommending honest music with his piece called "Be Curious", which will be released on the same-titled album tomorrow, November 24th. I've got a quote from Steve where he shares some thoughts about the track, but frankly, all you have to do is play it, and you would not need any words.

Be Curious

TRACK PREMIERE : Steve Luck - Be Curious

Good morning, and welcome to the quietest week of the year. Did you have a good holiday? Before I sign off for the year, I think I’ve got one more gem to share with you. Here's a wonderful label showcase and a reflection on this past year from a lovely independent Valencia-based imprint, Archives, curated and operated by Agustín Mena, aka Warmth. I’ve profiled plenty of its releases since its inception in 2015, and I must admit that Warmth’s Parallel (2018) has been on repeat more than others. If anything, it is only rivalled by Glow, which is his collaboration with Fionnlagh, recently released on December 8th, 2023 (you’ll hear a few tracks on this mix). In any case, enjoy the mix, and please support the featured artists! For full details and tracklisting, visit Headphone Commute's main site.

Mixes

Archives 2023

Warmth - Archives 2023

As I mature and fine-tune my musical journey, I seem to gravitate more and more towards the contemporary classical genre. Why is that, and do you feel the same? I think, for me, it’s all about the connection. I want to feel emotion expressed from the composer’s soul through instruments attached to human hands. They feel like an extension of articulations flowing into sound. I also think that electronic music has that capability as well [I’ve recently acquired the Osmose from Expressive E, and let me tell you – it’s entirely something else]. And then, there is, of course, the blend of both where certain frequencies [especially the low end] can’t be generated entirely by organic means. Or when dense atmospheres and textures cloud the landscape with a gorgeous dew. This is how I feel about the latest album from the Melbourne-based composer Callum Mintzis, who first appeared on these pages a few years ago when I premiered his collaboration with Pat Jaffe in the video for V. Murmur. Mintzis is also collaborating with Tilman Robinson, who co-produced this latest album [and yes, I hear a bit of his conjuring touch]. The album is titled "And the Wind was my Dear Friend, Once Again", and across its seven pieces, Mintzis explores the mysteries of life through many philosophical questions posed alongside the release, but it is the music itself that will make you reach deep inside your own existence for the answers you will find.

And the Wind was my Dear Friend, Once Again

TRACK PREMIERE : Callum Mintzis - Once Again

Music possesses transforming powers. By moving its sound waves in time, it's able to guide us through the past and the future. For example, it's been nearly eight years since I listened to the Daughter's 2016 release, Not To Disappear - an album that was tightly intertwined with a particular set of circumstances and some potent feelings in my life. An album which I purposely buried deep in my memory [and some cardboard boxes] so that, at last, I can breathe. The other day, I uncovered this snapshot of time and relistened to it in one sitting. And all of the walls I've built fell apart, and all has returned, once again, with those feelings. It's good, and it's bad, as music can heal, but it also can pick at the scabs with its incessant weeping. And so, instead, I pick out a brand new release, one which I use like a thick coat of paint to brush over the wounds and repair. In this particular case, the remedy comes courtesy of Glowworm, a duo of guitarist Kevin Scott Davis and pianist and vocalist Asia Dojnikowska. That healing begins from the very first track, as the soft, warming tones wash over the edges. From the deep-heated bass to the light-whispered voice, every guitar strum, and each piano key, the music of Harvest is an instant relief for the wandering mind. And even though I admit, I take some sort of unexplainable pleasure in melancholy, darkness and gloom, I also enjoy to be basked in the light of a particular type of wistful, positive, and powerful music. If you are a fan of Hammock, Slow Meadow and Sigur Rós, then you'll know what I mean and will instantly appreciate the sound of Glowworm.

Harvest

Sierpień

TRACK PREMIERE : Glowworm - Sierpień

Sometimes, the music matches my mood. And this Monday morning I wake up a little distressed. Perhaps some remnants of a previous night's nightmare have spilt into this world and left me slightly edgy. Reality can surely shape one's dreams, but can it also be impacted in reverse I wonder. I haven't followed the deep catalogue of twelve-inchers from the Glasgow-based duo of Jonnie Wilkes and James Savage releasing under the Naum Gabo project name over the last 15 years, but I am happy to land on their first proper full-length album, titled F. Lux. This is a proto-techno meets industrial meets dark ambient apocalyptic dream score, encompassed in compelling rhythm, distorted soundscapes, and wicked moods. I hear a bit of Demdike Stare, Raime, Vatican Shadow, and The Haxan Cloak, and if this rope of names means anything to you at all, I reckon you'll connect with Naum Gabo. "A consistent source of fascination for us are sounds that sit with some difficulty beside one another, but once heard, just have to be. A perversion, misapplication, accident, call it what you will, but we see this inelegance as ok." I think there is pure beauty in this darkness, and its existence is a must. How else are we to tell the difference in contrast if every single moment feels the same? For today's track premiere, I select a less rhythmic piece that opens up the album - I want it to be just a prelude for your trip. And for the rest, you'll have to take the plunge.

F. Lux

Aora

TRACK PREMIERE : Naum Gabo - Aora

The other day, I was discussing with my good old friend the constant fluctuation of the music release pendulum that I follow, oscillating between my absolutely favourite artists and labels [where sometimes it can feel like I am inside an echo chamber] and chasing the latest and new [where sometimes I am guided by marketing trends of PR]. As usual, the sweet spot is somewhere in the middle, and I will still chart my own course. Today is an immensely gorgeous example of the former, where I am eagerly celebrating a brand new release from my favourite artist – Ben Chatwin. And this is a perfect model of balance, where Chatwin does not simply sharpen his skills but projects them another leap forward, creating another new style that one day, I’m sure, will stand out as prime. If you peruse these pages you’ll be sure to find nearly every release from Ben Chatwin going back to 2015, and then, once again, even further in time, to 2008, when he was recording under another named project. But with his latest releases on Village Green, the last of which was The Hum (2020), Chatwin managed to evoke the voice of the inorganic, blending melodic beauty with intense sonics and tense, edgy rhythms. “Obsessed with the physicality of sound, Chatwin utilises modular synthesis to imbue life and instability into the recordings. Pushing his exploration of analogue textures, audio is passed through an arsenal of compressors and saturators to build layers of grit and grime around this new set of tactile compositions.” So yes, I’m a massive fan of his compositions, and yes, I have even secured a coveted remix of his for an upcoming single I intend to release any day now [more on that later!]. For his new album, titled Verdigris, Chatwin set up his own imprint, Disinter, to take us down his forward-thinking evolution of sound.

Verdigris

Dolmen

TRACK PREMIERE : Ben Chatwin - Dolmen

In the fall of last year, I was asked to participate in Bigo & Twigetti's fifth volume of the Perceptions compilation series, which explores various approaches to piano music. Complimenting the sound of the solo piano, these compositions also utilise nominal processing, sound effects, synthesis, and binaural recording techniques, all aiming to create an immersive listening experience while still showcasing my beloved instrument. As the clock ticked away and the deadline approached, I realised I hadn't found time to compose my contribution. For a few weeks, I've experienced a gnawing feeling of self-imposed pressure, mixed with anxiety and procrastination, that looped on itself and left me fatigued. I'm sure plenty of composers who are reading these words, especially those working on a deadline (like film soundtracks), know what I'm talking about. This, in itself, gave me a taste of this process at work. I learned that I simply cannot try and force things or make them appear. For me, music, as Victor Hugo once said, "expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent…" I needed to have something special to say...

As the end of the year approached, I found myself in that "usual space" of December, where the dark and the cold seemed to mix with my mood, and I recount the days and the moments of passing. There's always reflection on what I've achieved, and of course, I look back at my favourite albums of the year. Somewhere around this time, I arrive at the acceptance of failure, preparing to message the label and withdraw from the project. I think I'm too busy with "all other stuff". Perhaps I'll start over as the new year turns. Perhaps I'll become a bit more organised or not commit myself to the deadlines. In the very last days of the year, I find myself investing time in consoling my friend whose mother has passed away. As always, besides the grief for another, we find ourselves reflecting on our own mortality... and the meaning of it all... As the clock strikes midnight, I am deep asleep. But the morning comes, as it does every morning. And we're at it again, starting fresh and anew. The windows open, and we breathe in and out. Maybe this time, it will be slightly different. Maybe this time we have learned... On the morning of January 1st, I find myself sitting at the piano and playing this simple melody. I hope that you'll hear what I'm saying in music...

Perceptions Vol​​​.​​​5

Morning, January 1st

Mike Lazarev - Morning, January 1st

This morning, I am blissfully spending my time in the company of Swedish composer and pianist Matti Bye, who first appeared on these pages back in 2017 with a video that I premiered titled Melt. Having scored more than a few films and being awarded Sweden’s prestigious Guldbaggen for Best Original Music for Faro, Bye knows exactly how to paint deep atmospheres full of mystery and awe. Listening to his latest album for my beloved Denovali, I am transported into a shadowy speakeasy full of jazzy notes and curling smoke. I find myself comfortably sitting in a corner, sipping on Glenfarclas while Matti plays the piano, just for me. Capri Clouds is the third album in the trilogy, which began with Bethanien (2020) and This Forgotten Land (2020), and until this one drops later in the spring of this year, you may want to start your journey there. All showcase somewhat nostalgic, slightly haunting and serene imagery, barely jazzy, neo-classic, and lo-fi. Today, I am premiering the title track for you, which I hope you enjoy… rain, birds, a bit of chit-chat and all…

"These songs go straight to the heart and to the senses, and create images in your head. Stories from your own memory bank, as well as new visions – music to lean into, meditatively and hopefully longing. But there is also an undertone of something dark and desolate."

Capri Clouds

TRACK PREMIERE : Matti Bye - Capri Clouds

Time is always speeding up. I feel like we just came out of the New Year's celebration, but the truth is, we are a whole quarter done with 2024. It's time to take a break and possibly slow down. I'll be off for a couple of weeks, recharging my batteries somewhere on the coast of France, but before I leave, I've got one more exciting track premiere to share with you today. This one is courtesy of French producer Maxime Dangles, who previously showed up here with a Pavane Remix of his "Operate" back in 2023. I liked the pure energy and musicality of that piece, and I was excited to preview his upcoming new full-length, titled Le Roman De Carpentier, which the French National Cinema Center commissioned as a soundtrack for the 1913 silent film celebrating the first French boxing world champion. Turning to his arsenal of modular synthesizers and club gear, Dangles focused on blending a perfect balance between ambient, electronica and techno across the twelve tracks on the album. The result, full of excitement and, once again, raw energy and grit, is what has genuinely drawn my attention to some of the pieces here, especially the ambient composition titled "Papa", this being Headphone Commute and all...

Le Roman De Carpentier

Papa

TRACK PREMIERE : Maxime Dangles - Papa

This may be the first time that Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea are officially appearing on Headphone Commute, but I assure you, I have been listening all along, starting from their self-titled debut release on Past Inside The Present to the more established Liberamente out on Jonas Munk's (aka Manual) Azure Vista imprint in 2019. Of course, besides the solo works by these monumental ambient composers, Zach Frizzell (aka zakè) and Damien Duque (aka City of Dawn) have previously collaborated together, and their 2023 album on PITP, Ash, was picked as one of my favourites of the year. Here, they are joined by Marc Ertel to round up the project, which appears to spearhead the "dronegaze" genre, this time forward driven by orchestral textures, guitar swells, and bass ("Cadere" is my particular favourite piece). Today, I am sharing the last track from their upcoming new album, Reveries, rounding off three-quarters of an hour spent in tranquil waves, sunny rays, and drifting bliss. It's an overall positive and soothing experience, approaching cathartic and restorative treatment as if pointing something towards your entire being, which releases vital healing energy and something you can drown in, becoming one with everything at once. Maybe "curegaze" or "ambientonic" is a better term for that...

Reveries

Aufero

TRACK PREMIERE : Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea - Aufero

Born out of mere chance performance, the new collaborative record between Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri is almost an inevitable outcome of their long-lived sonic relationship, and yet I’m still excited and jumping up with glee. It’s not often that I witness two of my favourite musicians come together to create something very special, so when they do, I approach it with a deep appreciation and focused regard. I’ve sung high praises for these two alone throughout the early years of their very successful musical careers: Raf, of course, and his 2009 debut on Miasmah (which I’m still listening to, by the way, as well as The Sight Below output), along with his continuous friendship and support, as well as partnership in curating Headphone Commute’s For Ukraine compilation; and Guido, whom I detected to be an amazing synthesist [rather than a retired factory worker from Belgrade] very early on, and who became an inspiration for my own modular journey and then, again, a friend. Search these pages, and you will discover plenty of coverage [written by a genuine human, may I add – should I use that tagline instead of “honest words on honest music”?]. So yes, I am all over this amazing piece [slightly shortened for this “premiere” feature], which is taken from their upcoming two-long-playing-track release on Irisarri’s own Black Knoll Editions, recorded between London, Rome and New York [the second piece is taken from their live performance at Centro de Cultura Contemporánea Condeduque in Madrid].

Impossibly distant, impossibly close

Place of Forever (AM Radio Edit)

TRACK PREMIERE : Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri - Place of Forever (AM Radio Edit)

Today, I'm excited to share with you a new piece by the Icelandic composer Snorri Hallgrímsson, whom I've been closely following since his debut, Orbit, released by Moderna in 2018. Even back then, I could somewhat predict the trajectory of this young artist, who, as I said, has been drinking from the same pool of Icelandic inspiration which has quenched the thirst of some of the world's renowned composers, like Ólafur Arnalds and of course, the dearly missed Jóhann Jóhannsson. Hallgrímsson's sophomore release, I Am Weary, Don’t Let Me Rest, which I am playing right now as I prepare this writeup, was a particular favourite of mine, even as I recognised some of the subtle influence of the above master of the modern classical genre. In this specific case, that should be acknowledged as an enormous compliment - if Jóhann continues to be here through the music of others, I feel slightly better and not so forlorn. This spring, Hallgrímsson returns to Moderna with an original soundtrack for Guy Davidi's documentary called Innocence. "The film is a harrowing insight into what it's like to grow up in a heavily militarized state where military service isn't only compulsory but is seen as a moral and cultural obligation as well." I think the cover of a little girl handling a machine gun tells it all. And yet, it's Hallgrímsson's gorgeous music that takes it to a whole new level.

Innocence (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The Girl in the Dark

TRACK PREMIERE : Snorri Hallgrímsson - The Girl In The Dark

Look, I know that many of my opening words often begin with “Today, I am thrilled to share with you a new piece by [so and so]”, but how can I not use the exact same opening line when one of my all-time favourite piano composers reaches out to me to premiere a piece from his newly-announced long-awaited album? This Norwegian musician’s first proper solo studio release appeared on the beloved Sonic Pieces in 2014, which we only later learned to be part of a trilogy of albums. But that doesn’t mean that I spent only the last decade listening to Otto A. Totland – together with his school friend Erik K. Skodvin, the duo has been making beautiful music as Deaf Center, releasing Neon City EP in 2004 on Type. We now see him being backed by Nils Frahm, who not only shares the production credits on his upcoming new album but also releases Exin on his very own Berlin-based LEITER imprint, which he founded with his manager Felix Grimm only a few years ago. This also means that the album was recorded at Frahm’s studio at Funkhaus complex, offering the most beautiful-sounding piano in the hands of the most beautiful-sounding mind. The emotionally charged and sometimes melancholy sound is still present in Totland’s collection of sixteen solo piano pieces, but there is also an upbeat and vibrant tint on a few, including the first single, “Marka”, which follows a classical staccato harmony that I can envision being played on a harpsichord. Yet pieces like “Lys” take me back to that particular flavour of Totland’s sonic tenderness to pull on my heartstrings, allowing me to get lost in those barely audible reverberations of the keys. The piece I’m sharing with you today is called “Rift”, an introspective and sombre reflection in just a few pensive chords.

Exit

Rift

TRACK PREMIERE : Otto A. Totland - Rift

Today, I am happy to share with you a new piece of music that will serve as the opening to the upcoming mini-album that I will self-release later this summer. To be honest, with all these written words for many years, talking about all this music by many of my favourite composers, I'm actually pretty shit at self-promoting myself. This is why I usually leave this "job" to the many wonderful labels to spread the word. And then I amplify and filter. "Saturated Signals" is a continuation of my sonic journey initially explored on Sacred Tonalities, which was put out on the amazing Past Inside The Present in February of 2023. Initially, it was conceived as a bonus or a follow-up track until it evolved on its own, as music usually does. I then invited a few of my dear friends to rework the piece and add their special touch to the heavily layered synthesized and organic textures which I provided as a foundation for this piece. Each distinct interpretation offers a perfect tint of the individual composer's aesthetic to create a collective whole that you can experience as a unified journey in half an hour's time, connected by an interweaving theme. I will share Saturated Reworks with the world in just a couple of weeks, followed by the full mini-album, but first, here's the single.

Saturated Signals

TRACK PREMIERE : Mike Lazarev - Saturated Signals

This piece has been donated to a Hibernate Recordings benefit compilation, titled "Dayalu / for Nepal" to raise money for the victims of the earthquake disaster in Nepal. This very first official HC release is appearing alongside my all-time favorite artists, such as Machinefabriek, Clem Leek, Autistici, Field Rotation, Isnaj Dui, Antonymes, Olan Mill and many others, so I couldn't be more happier to contribute to this wonderful cause. 

I hope that you support this compilation (digital + 2xCD edition), and of course, dig my humble composition. Pre-order your copy at the below link, with many more musicians to be announced soon!!!

http://hcdi.gs/Dayalu

Accidental (03.01.15)

Mike Lazarev - Accidental (04.26.15)

Another Sunday piece, when everything is shimmering and still... If you like this, check out my mini-album on  1631 Recordings, titled "Unhinged" : https://1631recordings.bandcamp.com/album/unhinged

Mike Lazarev - Sunday

Some people capture images with their cameras, while I capture sound with my recorder. Inspired by Taylor Deupree’s One Sound Each Day project, I set off on my own journey of aural documentation of my life. There’s something special about having a recorder [or a camera] around you all the time. Certain opportunities just present themselves, like Kodak moments, to be captured and preserved.

Church Bells

Today we are happy to share with you an exclusive premiere of a track by Oleksiy Sakevych, also known for his project, Endless Melancholy, featuring Matt Finney. Available as a free downloadable single.

Bandcamp

TRACK PREMIERE : Endless Melancholy - We Found Love

James Maloney studied music at Oxford University and after graduating in 2011, found his own voice in minimalist composition and songwriting, which led him to the sounds and style present on Gaslight. The album is a vibrant piece of work that is built around an old piano, accompanied by a trumpet, vibraphone, glockenspiel, and subtle electronics. This is a music defined by spacious atmospheres, vibrant tones, and comforting chords, a bold soundworld crafted by Maloney on his debut record that make it a triumphant and original foray into minimalist territories. Maloney adeptly weaves a broad range of styles and influences into his compositions: gentle nods to cinematic orchestrations meet hints of post-rock sonorities, with infusions of mellow jazz and modern classical germs.

Gaslight is released on CD and digital on July 7. Pre-order: http://hcdi.gs/2s5lU8E

Gaslight

Blink

Pre-Order

TRACK PREMIERE : James Maloney - Blink

On this mix, originally appearing on Headphone Commute podcast in May of 2017, we celebrate some of the pioneers of early electronic ambient music, with the help of a long-time contributor, Fingers in the Noise. Here are all of the first explorations into the then unnamed genre, sometimes referred to as avant-garde, new-music, or simply electronic music. Pictured for the cover art of this mix is Laurie Spiegel, an American composer, who, while working in Bell Laboratories in the early 70s, composed with analog synthesizers using interactive software she wrote herself. Some of this music is hard to come by, with the early experiments a bit difficult to digest, so I thank Laurent Bisch for his wonderful selection of tracks for this very special tribute.

Full track listing and more details on the mix can be found here:
http://hcdi.gs/PioneersTribute

And as always, please enjoy responsibly and support the featured artists!

Fingers In The Noise - A Tribute to the Pioneers of Electronic Ambient Music

So… this is slightly awkward… When it comes to promoting my very own music, I seem to be at loss for words. And yet, I accept that self-promotion is part of every composer’s journey, at the end of each release. This album has been in the making for a very long time. In fact, it was complete before I even left New York, and I’ve been “sitting on it”, afraid to let it out, too weak to let it breathe. And yet here it is, fulfilling the unavoidable and at times desirable closure to something I meant to leave behind.

Beneath the dark veil of the night, covered in an intoxicating somber solitude, somewhat sorrow and slightly sweet, ‘Dislodged’ is a place of isolation, melancholy, and a bit of heartache. Composed and intended to be listened to as the second half to the ‘Unhinged’ mini-album, this intimate recording of my beloved instrument explores the outer reaches of spatial and reductionist pianism, occasionally echoed by the song of a lonely cello, contributing to the detachment, displacement, and dislocation of a damper pedal, controlling the felt rail which muffles the hammers against the strings. This is where my music lives…

The ten-piece mini-album, beginning with the same-titled “Dislodged” track, which is being premiered exclusively today on Headphone Commute, is out on November 10th, on 1631 Recordings. Recommended for fans of solo piano music, and my all-time favorite composers who inspire me, such as Nils Frahm, Otto A. Totland, Julien Marchal, Goldmund, Dustin O’Halloran, Fabrizio Paterlini, and Sophie Hutchings, and many, many more…

Dislodged

TRACK PREMIERE : Mike Lazarev - Dislodged

Sometimes I find great music, and sometimes music simply finds me. In this case, it was a dear friend, Luke Howard, who pointed me to a piece by Marty Hicks which completely captivated me, and now, here we are, premiering a track to a worldwide audience. I have a lot to say about this piece, but, after getting in touch with Marty to bring you “From Afar, Unhindered” he’s had a lot to say himself. So instead of my usual words, you will find the words from the composer here: hcdi.gs/MartyHicks

TRACK PREMIERE : Marty Hicks - From Afar, Unhindered

London-based Matt Emery is mostly known for his solo piano pieces, which are delicate, nostalgic, and a little bit sad. Last year (right about this time), Emery released his debut on Injazero Records, titled Empire, which immediately shot up to my top piano records, and inevitably made it on the Best of the Year lists, in the "Music For Watching The Snow Slowly Fall In The Moonlight" entry. Emery also shared his selections with us on his Eternal Bliss mix, put together exclusively for the Headphone Commute Podcast. This Friday, September 7th, the composer returns with a new single, titled “I Put a Flame in Your Heart”. I’ll leave the full band version and the edit for you to discover in all due time, but today I wanted to share this very special Vessels remix, premiering on these pages alone.

As you can hear from this piece (and the remix itself), we’re now in a more gritty territory, with percussive and electronic treatments to the track that puts it more alongside Jon Hopkins, Kiasmos, and Moderat, rather than the softer side of Nils Frahm, and even with the up-front expedient vocals, the track ticks all of the right boxes for this fan and follower. Speaking of which, I’ve witnessed Emery sing during his sold-out live performance (on the very last track) and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his voice [which you will hear clearly on the “Vocal Edit” of the release], and that’s a rare event for me notice, as I’m mostly an instrumental kind of fiend.

The single features a piano-only original of the piece, alongside a more post-rock[y] epic edit, which showcases the versatility of this UK artist. “The full band version sees Emery’s music swell with frantic drums, throbbing synths and a full choir culminating in an expansive interpretation, more aggressive in comparison to his gentle and intricate modern classical piano and string repertoire.” A very nice rework of the original, with the “Vessels Remix”, definitely hitting the spot.

Once again, the single is out this Friday, September 7th, 2018, on Injazero Records, available on all of your favourite digital platforms.

I Put A Flame In Your Heart

TRACK PREMIERE : Matt Emery - I Put A Flame In Your Heart (Vessels Remix)

Tom Hodge & Franz Kirmann pair up once more to work on a gorgeous soundtrack for a documentary about the most popular musical star in Tunisian history. Being a work about a man and his music, the choice for a film score is carefully made, not just by the composers, but by the producers who chose to invite Hodge and Kirmann into their very personal work - British-Tunisian filmmaker Claire Belhassine’s feature The Man Behind The Microphone revolves around her discovery in her 30s that it is her grandfather, Heidi Jouini, who is a worshipped superstar in her home country, known as the "Frank Sinatra of Tunisia". Headphone Commute, in partnership with 1631 Recordings, on which this OST will be released, is proud to premiere the opening track.

The Man Behind The Microphone OST

TRACK PREMIERE : Tom Hodge & Franz Kirmann - The Man Behind The Microphone Part 1

Earlier this year, Icelandic composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Snorri Hallgrímsson released his debut album on Moderna, titled Orbit. I’ve spent more than just a few hours with this wonderful album, often reminding me of more vocal works from Ólafur Arnalds, with whom Snorri has collaborated on many occasions (the album was primarily recorded at Arnalds’ studio in Reykjavik). It was still on the list of albums to share with you, my readers, when an opportunity to premiere this beautiful rework presented itself. Orbit Reworked is an upcoming four-track release on Moderna, featuring remixes and re-imaginations of pieces by Luke Howard, Tom Adams, Slow Meadow and, the focus of this exclusive premiere, London-based cellist, Peter Gregson.

At some time, between all the firm work, and his very own release on the esteemed Deutsche Grammophon, titled Recomposed By Peter Gregson: Bach – The Cello Suites [stay tuned for an in-depth write-up on that, folks], Gregson found a moment to add his beautiful cello touch to the already gorgeous “… og minning þín rís hægt” track (which loosely translates to “and your memory rises slowly” from Icelandic), with its moody swaying passages lamenting over the sparkling piano glimmer. And at only a bit over three minutes in length, this gentle piece manages to capture the weather and the scenery of the internal brewing storm, even without the words to prompt us of the story.

"… the songs on Orbit explore the difficulties of living in and moving between vastly different places: from Mexico’s sunny days to Iceland’s long winter nights and their emotional toll. Orbit is also about people met along the way, of friends and family whose absence is bittersweet. The concept of ‘home’ is replaced by an ‘orbit’ the composer circles from place to place.”

While the full-length was mastered by Ian Hawgood, Orbit Reworked is backed by a touch from Taylor Deupree at his 12k Mastering studio. The artwork is courtesy of Elín Elísabet Einarsdóttir   who also produced the cover for the Orbit. The release is out this Friday, and I highly recommend that you pick up the album as well. You can pre-order it now on Bandcamp.

Orbit Reworked

…og minning þín rís hægt (Peter Gregson Rework)

TRACK PREMIERE : Snorri Hallgrímsson - …og Minning Þín Rís Hægt (Peter Gregson Rework)

Today I would like to introduce you to Reza Safinia with this exclusive premiere of a piece titled “Within” from his upcoming, self-released Yin album. He’s got a fascinating background, with names such as Destiny’s Child, Britney Spears, Akala and even Dr Dre appearing on his curriculum vitae. But this is not a pop record – I wouldn’t feature that on Headphone Commute, right? Rather, the album collects compositions influenced by romantic classical music (Satie and Debussy are quoted) with a touch of cinematic electronica, which Safinia incorporated from his extensive background in film music (he’s scored a few Hollywood productions, such as The Trust and Mercy). There is an influence of the spiritual and eastern philosophies on the record (Safinia is a yoga teacher and a practising Daoist), and its reflection can be glimpsed in the album title itself. Of course, there is a second half, appropriately named Yang, which will be published later in the year, but for now, we have eleven gentle, peaceful, slightly melancholic and overwhelmingly beautiful tracks, with the album’s opener featured here today.

Within

TRACK PREMIERE : Reza Safinia - Within

some original solo piano pieces...  some mixes from my podcast... some exclusive track premieres...  and some tracks from the albums I review for Headphone Commute... Enjoy!

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