Silenzio

Thanks, Briks! I hope you enjoy the album.
Fratres is a piece of him you may like as well, 12 celli create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere.
Just another Tintinnabuli-composition ( minimalist style and the pure chords) like Für Alina!

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Isbjørn

I can't find Alina on Spotify. That's unfortunate, because I quite liked Fratres.

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Silenzio

I'm sorry to hear that. I've tried to send you a link to the album in a pm, maybe this one works for you?
Actually I think all of his later works are fascinating. I need to hear the rest of them, too.

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

Do you know the artist who has released his newest album today, on 18th March 2014? It is an American singer/songwriter called Steve Moakler!
It's a funny story, once I thought I'd like to test my own songwriting skills. I made some concepts of songs but basically I ran out of ideas quickly.
So what do you do? Exactly, you ask YouTube to help you find some singer/songwriter-tips, it did provide me a helpful video - there I saw Steve Moakler.
Somehow I liked his style and thought I'd give his album All The Faint Lights (2009) a listen, and I honestly enjoyed the track Hesitate.
So let's take a look at his latest work:

Wide Open - Steve Moakler



Track list
1. Rather Make a Living
2. Damn, Do I Think About You
3. Crooked Heart
4. Humble Operations
5. I've Got You to Love
6. On Your Side
7. Be Your Man
8. Riser
9. Have It so Bad
10. Wide Open
11. Holiday at Sea

The album starts with Rather make a living. The songs tells about the desires of a humble man, the dream of being yourself. This is what I consider a road trip song. Easy to sing along, catchy!
The following song has some up-beat guitar pattern, smooth vocals and a nice bridge. It's an steady-going song - Damn, Do I Think About You!
Just trying to walk a straight line with the crooked heart inside. I like the guitar-heavy piece, puts me in a positive mood. Good job, though I'm just missing the piano-pieces so far.
Humble Operations is a beautiful track, touching and true lyrics. My favorite track so far!



The fifth track, I've Got You to Love, is a bit too kitschy for my taste. Nevertheless, nice guitar picking.
The next song, On Your Side, appeals to me. Simple but at some point sweet! Be Your Man is a groovy song - pretty chill and down-to-earth, not bad.
A truly remarkable song is Riser - melancholic sounds of a violin, soft vocals. Instance to the contrary is the song Have it so bad, it's a bit grittier, also the guitar sounds rock-ish.
Wide Open sounds like a happy Bon Iver song at the start. The songs develops into a very thoughtful piece. The final song, Holiday at Sea is perfect ending song, it leaves you with a smile!

All in all I'm quite happy with this album. I have expected some piano-heavy compositions to be honest.
I guess sometimes some laid-back tunes can brighten your day as well!

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

Let's go from something more casual to some serious and thoughtful music. I would like to present you a favorite artist of mine, an Italian pianist and composer named Ludovico Einaudi.
After he finished his education at the Conservatorio Verdi in Milan he started composing classical music in the 1980s and proceeded in mixing various styles in his music.
Maybe you're familiar with the name, he composed the scores of famous movies like Intouchables. Moreover he is well-known for his solo albums of piano and orchestra works.

In a time lapse - Ludovico Einaudi

On Saturday the 19th of January 2013 at 9pm, on a cold and snowy day, I got the chance to see one the best concerts.
Ludovico Einaudi offered a live-stream, all of his fans could watch him playing the newest piano works live from his living room. Even before the album In a time lapse got released!
The album is a bona fide sample of pure genius and talent. I know the songs are filled with technical ambition because of the minimalist style, but all the love and soul that resonates is magical.



The cover is modelled on nature, according to the title In a time lapse.
Slowly change the colors of the tree from below. Simple yet creative!

Track List
1. Corale
2. Time Lapse
3. Life
4. Walk
5. Discovery at Night
6. Run
7. Brothers
8. Orbits
9. Two Trees
10. Newton's Cradle
11. Waterways
12. Experience
13. Underwood
14. Burning

Pure and simple notes initiate the album and characterize the first song, Corale. A beautiful and calming orchestra work.
Dramatically, steady going - the second song Time Lapse features minimalist piano-playing, a steady guitar-melody and some electronic sounds. Slightly mysterious!
Life is an enchanting piano song, the main theme is supported by strings. The minimalist, repetitive bridge lets you discover the beauty of music. It reminds me on Vivaldi.
Walk has such a memorable character with the piano melody. Einaudi is make full use of his piano, highlighted and underlined by the string section.
My favorite track of this album is Discovery at Night, because of the harmonic chords and the developing movement. A very warm-sounding piano song.
I have played this song as well, it'll sound as good as performed by Einaudi. The song is very structured and simple-build, yet filled with emotion.
Run is a dark song with a break-out in the middle implemented by the orchestra. Wonderful baroque-sounding melodies combined with ambient elements.
The seventh song, Brothers, is a slowly evolving piano song. Melancholic and moving - the increased tempo at the end gives the song the final touch.
Orbits is a dramatic sound, starting with orchestra and dark piano notes. Music orbits around the earth!
The following track, Two Trees, is a calm and soft sounding, airy piano composition. You can hear how the pianist pauses for a moment at each phrase. Amazing!



Newton's Cradle is a rather experimental piece - energetic and restless. It sounds magical though a bit ambivalent with its changing rhythm.
Au contraire - the song Waterways - is very harmonic and deep. It reminds me on Heraclitus' words: panta rhei. Listening to this song inspires me with confidence.
Experience is a steady increasingly piece seen from the rhythm, with highs and lows in the melody. The musical definition of experience.
Underwood is the title of a very touching composition for piano and violin. A song filled with spirit, performed meditatively.
The final song is called Burning. Basically it starts very unassertive until the orchestra enkindles a musical fire that warms your heart.

If you like classical or calming music, it might be a good album to listen to.
I honestly do enjoy it and consider it to be the best album of Ludovico Einaudi. Highly recommended!

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

Just like Einaudi's music affects me emotionally many musical compositions of other genres do as well, take for example garage rock, punk blues or indie rock.
I'd like to tell you more about Cage The Elephant's third and newest album Melophobia that got released in 2013. Sarcastic title!
I feel for people who have Melophobia - an aversion to music. I know people who dislike most genres of music, but how can you be afraid of music?

Melophobia - Cage The Elephant

The energetic US band Cage The Elephant was formed in 2006. Since then they've released only 3 albums, but there are of high-quality.
What I especially like is that the band mixes a lot of styles like rock, indie and punk. Honestly, I wouldn't listen to a whole typical punk album.



Doesn't the cover look psychedelic? Definitively these stripes remind me on a geometrical zebra-print.
As well I first thought this head-slices were lunchmeat, my eyes must have been confused!
Whatever, let's take a look at the content of this album.

Track list
1. Spider Head
2. Come a Little Closer
3. Telescope
4. It's Just forever
5. Take it or Leave it
6. Halo
7. Black Widow
8. Hypocrite
9. Teeth
10. Cigarette Daydreams

Rock statement - Spider Head is a very revolutionary, guitar and drum heavy piece. Solid lyrics screamingly presented. This piece has got some coolness-factor!
Spiders in my head, spiders in my mind. You may take my eyes, but baby I'm not blind. It all works out in time. You know I'm gonna be alright. You may take my eyes, but baby I'm not blind.

Come a Little Closer sounds at first like a never-ending boring, whiny song, until the refrain breaks the mood:
Come a little closer, then you'll see! Things aren't always what they seem to be. Do you understand the things that you would see here?
Do you understand the things that you've been dreaming? Come a little closer, then you'll see!
A song about changes, revolutions, letting the past behind you and as well your fears. It is encouraging to go your way!
Time will fly by and if you continue suffering from tunnel vision created by others, you will never stop thinking self realization is just a fixed idea.

My favorite song out of the whole album is Telescope. I think the beginning with that retro sound-design is truly matching the song.
The lyrics describe the life and the thoughts of a marginalized human being. I can relate to the song.
I don't think you understand! There's nowhere left to turn, walls keep breaking. Time is like a leaf in the wind, either it's time worth spent, or time I've wasted. Don't waste it.
I'm pondering a lot, questioning the purpose of my existence, or if my education is a waste. Socializing e.g. in school brings me down. In my head I'm alone, I'm un-dead, I'm ashamed.



It's Just forever is a song about love. I don't understand the desire of the being authority over a female.
The next song is about relationships as well, Take it or Leave it. There may never exist a win-win-situation.
Knew I, couldn't help myself, I had to lay low. So I, couldn't help myself, I lost my halo. Not comparable to Beyonce's song at all!
Black Widow is the only song I dislike from the lyrics. Energetic song, though I don't think it fits to this album.
Hypocrite, I got told to be one once. At any rate, the lyrics aren't really the equivalent of up-beat! Still, the vocals are funny!
I never felt beat in my Teeth, the song has a crazy music and vocal concept for sure. Is it about tooth decay?
The final song, Cigarette Daydreams, is a melancholic song. Lyrics filled with memories from past times, accompanied by soft guitar and violin harmonics.

In a nutshell, this album may be well-tolerated by non-punk fans.
I personally like most of the songs, I think they are energetic and charged with emotion.
Time wasted is time lost, but for sure listening to the album isn't a waste of time.

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

Could you name me a band who blends elements of electronica, classical music, and post-rock?
I'm going to review an album released in 2007 by the Japanese composer called Katsuhiko Maeda, who got famous with his musical project World's End Girlfriend.
Basically he creates music of complex sound structures and beautiful melodies. Some my find this provoking, but I'm open-minded enough to give his work a listen!

Hurtbreak Wonderland - World's End Girlfriend



What a lovely cover. It reminds me on stone-artwork that was very popular in earlier times. Where crafting was more important than it is now.
Even though the cover is grey and drab, the main part of the image composition is the girl. She's like a little princess, lost in an unknown environment.
That cover looks promising to me, although I can't imagine the sound concept right now!


Track list
1. Wandering
2. Birthday Resistance
3. 100 Years of Choke
4. Grass Ark
5. Ghost Of a Horse Under the Chandelier
6. The Octuple Personality and Eleven Crows
7. Breath or Castle Ballad
8. Bless Yourself Bleed
9. Dance for Borderline Miscanthus
10. River was Filled with Stories

Flutes, soft harp sounds and door noises at the start, followed by a calming string layer combined with an experimental noise pattern sign the first song Wandering.
The princess might have left her castle for a while! A really beautiful start for an album. Birthday Resistance has a very harmonic beginning, the song is characterized by the saxophone.
I like the melodies so far, but I can't take the experimental rhythmic serious. It's a bit sarcastic. A few times I just found a relation to a Harvest Moon soundtrack, it's weird somehow.
Do you hear those natural sounds at the first seconds of the song 100 Years of Choke, too? They are creating such a wonderful, natural atmosphere. Sounds like the princess is discovering a secret garden!
Amazing electronic, soft layers embellish the beauty of this track. I don't really understand the reason for the title, listen! Ok, the end might sound scary...



Grass Ark is very different from the other tracks. It's very ambient first, refined with electronica and piano melodies. It's got a jazzy touch!
Ghost Of a Horse Under the Chandelier features lots of glass-sounds. Mystical and very shocking when you hear some noise of a dropping thing. It is going to frighten you!
That ghost motive is childish but in that context it's entitled to tell a story. I got afraid for our princess, but she seems to be ok with her pleasure trip!
The Octuple Personality and Eleven Crows - what a title, it may be due to the personalities of musical genres changing so often. I don't know if that's this good...
Breath or Castle Ballad is a really playful yet considerate piece. It's different from the previous tracks, short-cut on electronica.
The next song, Bless Yourself Bleed, has a very spiritual and religious character. It develops into a chill track, gets spiced up with dramatic rhythm and string movements.
The composition is ending with a melody played on electric guitar and groovy sounds. Dance for Borderline Miscanthus follows. I have no idea but isn't Miscanthus some sort of plant?
At any rate, that song kicks off with really wild electric sounds, gets filled with random voices, screams.
After a pause eccentrical drumming starts. It sounds like the princess gets caught up in a storm, dashes against a rock on the ground. Is this the end?
River was Filled with Stories, a wonderful title for a final song. After all that mixed up genres a soft piece of chamber music closes off the voyage of discovery to Hurtbreak Wonderland.

First I thought this album may sound like a mix of well-known pieces or a blend of some main-themes. I mean - I sure underrated this composer.
Then I gave the album a listen, I thought the Japanese guy must have been in a confused state of mind while composing, those rhythms at the beginning were kinda irritating.
Despite all that mainly negative facts, the album manages to tell a story. It leads the way to a wonderland. It's almost magical to hear this specific musical story.
It's amazing to see how underrated such true masterpieces are. Nowadays if something doesn't sound perfect in the first seconds most give up. Nearly I did.
I knew there was a concept behind this album, and I'm very happy I kept up listening. That feeling I have now is something very special.
It would be a pleasure if you gave World's End Girlfriend's album a chance, too.

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

Erased Tapes Records gave my favorite German, Nils Frahm, a chance to produce his album Spaces. It got released on 19th November 2013.
I hope you enjoy the breathtaking album filled with stunning piano works.

Spaces – Nils Frahm



Track list
An Aborted Beginning
Says
Said and Done
Went Missing
Familiar
Improvisations for coughs and a cell phone
Hammers
For – Peter – Toilet Brushes – More
Over There, It’s raining
Unter – Tristana – Ambre
Ross’s Harmonium

An Aborted Beginning is a quite experimental, consciously distorted track. I wouldn't say it fits to the whole album concept, but it's for sure a nice introduction.
Says is an excellent song, I personally think it shows the talent of Nils Frahm. Basically it's a layered piece, the same chords draws through those 8 minutes, though it won't get boring at all.
The minimalist character of this expressive composition is amazing. The gradually upcoming crescendo ends in a firework. You wouldn't have planned on hearing such intense movements, it's really beautiful.



Said and done sounds like a piece he must have composed during his jazz-career, always the same note accompanied with thoughtful chords. Reminds me on his first famous song, Une Soirée de Poche.
The fourth song, is melancholic piano melody - Went Missing. Nils Frahm always makes sure to have a well-sounding piano. Nahum Brodski, a student of the last scholar of Tschaikowski, was his piano teacher.
Now we know where those dynamics and this artistic know-how comes from. Familiar is composed in a classical style as well, a smooth piano song.
The next track, Improvisations for coughs and a cell phone, is an assertive composition with of course - a lot of jazzy improvisations. Hammers sounds almost like the previous song.
I know the title doesn't sound appetizing, but the track is really interesting - For – Peter – Toilet Brushes – More. Nils Frahm uses 2 pianos for rhythmical improvisations and at the same time for playing melodies and chords.
The next song is a very simple, moving piano song called Over there it's raining. To the contrary there we have the following track, Unter – Tristana – Ambre is filled with improvisations.
The ending song of this album is Ross’s Harmonium, it's the black sheep! It sounds very different from those solo-piano works, electronic finish off the album.

Piano-lovers may enjoy this album, I'm sure!

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

Friday! No, I'm not going to review the - in my opinion - horrible song by a young girl named Rebecca Black... It's Dancing Friday. What's your favorite dance?
Out of the International Latin dances I like Cha-cha-chá best, it's an own genre in music and dance, of Cuban origin.
It was developed in the early 1950s - the composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín introduced the Cha-cha-chá.

Por Siempre Jorrin - Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín

Firs Jorrín modified danzones, the official mambo dance of Cuba with a structure of ABAC. He made the musicians of the orchestra sing short refrains.
Jorrín wanted to compose pieces easier to dance than the mambo. The rhythm of the cha-cha-chá was developed from the danzón by a syncopation of the fourth beat.
The noise caused by the shuffling of the dancers' feet is the reason for the name. Por Siempre Jorrin was released in 2004 and is a "best of"-album with his most popular compositions.



Track list
1. La Engañadora
2. Kikiriki Canta el Gallo
3. Nunca Amé Tanto Así
4. Todo Llega
5. Popurrit de Danzones
6. Un Son a lo Jorrín
7. Alguien Como Tú
8. Mis Amigos de la Infancia
9. Mi Ritmo Son
10. La Blusa Azul
11. Tranquilidad Juan Francisco
12. Taconéala

La Engañadora is a mambo cha-cha-chá. Literally translated the title means the treacherous (girl). Actually it's about a well-built girl admired by men, that lied to the singer saying that nobody takes notice of her.
Kikiriki canta el gallo - technically it's about a sound that roosters make. To me that kind of humor seems quite entertaining. I like the flute in this piece, too, it's very typical!
I guess it's one of the more melancholic and romantic songs Nunca Amé Tanto Así. In English you would say: there is a time for everything - Todo Llega! A very laid-back track.
Popurrit de Danzones, I guess it means a mix of Danzones. Actually it just sounds like it. The sixth song is Un Son a lo Jorrín sounds in comparison to the following track, Alguien Como Tú, revolting.
Mis Amigos de la Infancia - childhood friends. A cheerful, partly nostalgic song. Mi Ritmo Son this track has some improvisatory elements, it's pretty frolic seen from the musical aspect.
La Blusa Azul - obviously the singer likes the blue blouse of a female. Jokes aside, I think it is the most famous song, there are some videos on YouTube, sadly of bad quality. Tranquilidad Juan Francisco is a pretty calm song, naturally. Taconéala is the final song, I think it is derived from stamping feet.

So if you're interested enough and don't mind bad quality on YouTube, you may want to give La Blusa Azul a listen.
I think you should've heard the works of Enrique Jorrín as a music lover, so buying some tunes with better quality may not be a bad investment!

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

Silenzio

I wrote my very last test in this school. Technically, the grades will be certain by Monday. The school year is almost over - 5 years of business school are well and truly over.
Only the biggest examination, the A-levels, are waiting. The written ones are going to be on 28th, 29th and 30th of April. The spoken A-levels are going to be in June, from 2nd to 6th of June.
That is the milestone, but I managed to walk the long, cumbersome way. Many told me that this school was wrong, or that I wouldn't manage. Nowadays I think that reaching an impass can open your eyes.

A Swiss title-winning standard dancer recently said she had done business school despite knowing she wanted dancing to be the center of her life, as well because it's hard to establish oneself without formation.
On the one hand that story encourages me to try my best to study music, on the other hand I feel like I've never focused on my strengths sufficiently. I'm afraid I won't manage as lateral entrant.

Go - Jónsi



I'm sure some of you know the Icelandic band Sigur Rós, but I'm going to present you the debut album of lead singer, Jónsi Birgisson.
What I like is the very positive atmosphere of this album, telling you that you can do anything. Sigur Rós is well-known for deep, intellectual and thoughtful music. I like Sigur Rós, but Jónsi created a very different album in 2010.Track list1. Go Do2. Animal Arithmetic3. Tornado4. Boy Lilikoi5. Sinking Friendships6. Kolniður7. Around Us8. Grow till Tall9. HengilásGo Do is the opening and main song of the album. Child-like, maybe naive vocals and lyrics characterize the song, but it just makes you happy.The message is clear: Go do, you'll know how to, just let yourself, fall into landslide. Go do, you'll know how to, just let yourself, give into low tide - Go do!The following song, Animal Arithmetic, picks up the mood. It's a peppy, colorful track full of pure joy. Not much Icelandic in this song!Tornado brings a change of atmosphere: on top of the world, or in the depths of despair! That song is deeply emotional, heartbreaking.In the track Boy Lilikoi is used a broad range of style elements: from playful, magical to chill and constant instrumentation. Creative!We're sinking friendships, we drown more and more - For sure he focuses on the sound of words rather than the meaning, still impressive.Kolniður, pitch black, is sung in Icelandic. A honest, mythic song featuring violin - breathtaking composition.Around Us is a dreamy song, filled with hopes wishes for the future. Very up-beat rhythm and beautiful electronic layers.The eight song, Grow till Tall, has excellent vocals. You'll know, when's time to go on. You'll really want to grow and grow till tall. They all, in the end, will follow.Hengilás, Padlock, is an impressive, majestic Icelandic song. Perfect ending song.You could say Jónsi's work is never disappointing. This album more up-beat than the Sigur Rós albums. I appreciate them, but I must say, this cheerful attitude is enjoyable, too.Maybe it's more wide-eyed and playful compared to the Sigur Rós albums so you might be a tad astonished at first, but sometimes a change is as good as a rest.

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Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.