The music of Akira Rabelais “definitely isn’t something of this world”: a beautiful ghostly presence at night, and a box full of remembrances of things past.
(Leave a comment for a chance to win a free download code for one of these two releases!)
Two great ‘Contemporary Classical’ albums:
Christoph Berg‘s ‘Conversations’, released on the Sonic Pieces label.
and
Jeffrey Roden‘s Next Level Minimalism on volume 2 of “Threads of a Prayer”
From the contemporary post-classical debut of Resina to Tamar Halperin’s re-interpretations of classic Satie, via a remarkable collaboration of Murcof and Vanessa Wagner
A detour into contemporary classical music with two albums that perfectly match: Jóhann Jóhannsson‘s ‘Orphée’ and Sven Helbig‘s ‘I Eat The Sun And Drink The Rain’.
Jean-Paul Dessy (1963) is a Belgian composer with an impressive track record.
One that is clearly not afraid to cross borders into unknown territories: he has a distinct personal style of composing, which is quite different from other contemporary modern classical composers that often choose the romantic ‘cinematographic’ style. His work is dramatic, extremely dynamic – a roller coaster ride of conflicting emotions.
This is neither classical music as-we-know-it, nor is it rock music disguised as a symphony.
It’s not simply following the current ‘hip and happening’ post-classical style, but completely unique and personal.
Right from the opening track it’s obvious that “Aerial” is something else, almost beyond comparision!
It took me some time to grow accustomed to this album. It requires some dedicated listening, on the right moment.
But ultimately, the raw beauty of the distictive textural palette grabbed me, and didn’t let go.
Only to leave me wondering why I had not heard of Anna Thorvaldsdottir before.
A Winged Victory for the Sullen (AWVftS) is often referred to as a duo consisting of Adam Wiltzie (core member of the legendary Stars of the Lid – guess there’s no further introduction needed) and pianist/composer Dustin O’Halloran. But AWVftS would not be AWVftS without the (now 7-member) string section and the additional modular synth sounds created by Francesco Donadello. Together they present a full orchestral sound with a fascinating balance of string arrangements, melancholic piano melodies and (somewhat unsettling) synth embeddings.
Throughout musical history, composers have always taken fragments of other composers’ work and used them to re-compose completely new compositions. Before “electricity”, their choice of instruments was ‘limited’ to that of the classical orchestra settings. And now time has passed, they all sound ‘classical’ to contemporary ears.
But when contemporary composers – especially from ‘rock’ or experimental field – reworks classical compositions, incorporating electronic media – hell breaks loose in purist camps on both sides.
At least, that’s how it used to be – some years ago. It seems things have changed a bit since we’re more accustomed to the culture of ‘sampling’.
With core members Ian Hawgood (electronics), Danny Norbury(cello), Clem Leek (piano), and Tim Martin (Maps and Diagrams, electronics), Black Elk could be regarded as a post-classical/ambient “Supergroup”.
In 2012, their first album“Sparks“ was released, a beautiful collection of atmospheric tracks in various styles.
For their recent Japan tour (december 2013) a collection of “Sketches” was assembled on five different (CDR) albums, containing outtakes, unfinished tracks, live performances and … sketches!
