The Underground of Happiness

Photo: Antje Taiga A couple of weeks ago, I did a phone interview with Nils Frahm for WeAreNoise . He was in London, in the middle of a tour, which would take him on to Cork and Dublin later that week. As with all the Erased Tapes artists, it seems, he came across as a thoroughly nice, rounded individual, genuinely concerned for and interested in the feedback and reaction of fans to his music. Interesting also to hear him talk about discovering something by accident (in rehearsal) but then running with it. I didn't get to see him play, unfortunately, but I believe it was pretty special. First published at http://wearenoise.com/index.php/2012/11/nils-frahm-interview/ . Hi Nils, can I ask you first about your new EP, Screws , which you recorded while you had a broken thumb earlier in the year. How did you come to record an EP in that state?! It was against doctor’s advice to rest, wasn’t it? Yeah that’s right. It wasn’t really planned to become an EP, I just thoug...

One of my favourite labels, Erased Tapes , celebrates 5 years in business. It's been responsible for some of the best music of the last few years, music that I'm fondest of, that's really stayed with me. The first time I came across the label was when I interviewed Peter Broderick in 2009 when he played in Cork. After the interview, as we were passing the merch stand, he handed me a CD copy of Music from Falling for Trees , a soundtrack to a recently composed dance piece. It was quite brilliant, I soon discovered. And that lead on to Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds, A Winged Victory for the Sullen, World's End Girlfriend , and so on. To mark the 5 years, the label are undertaking a landmark tour with three of the aforementioned. Here are the details. London/Berlin-based record label Erased Tapes celebrates five years of fusing classical and contemporary music. To recognise this milestone, Erased Tapes label founder Robert Raths has set up a number of events and releases...

One of our favourite labels around here is Erased Tapes , home to some of the most beautiful records of the last few years - Peter Broderick's soundtrack work, Nils Frahm's solo piano (and collaborative) albums, Olafur Arnalds' chamber music and, most recently, A Winged Victory for the Sullen's swoonsome, ambient instrumentals, to name just a few ( the latter's gig in Cork a few weeks ago was also up there for me among my all-time highlights of gigs in this, or any, city). Well, they're celebrating their 5th birthday and to mark the occasion they're giving away a free sampler featuring everyone on the roster. You can sample the sampler below, to avail of the download just register on their website . There was apparently a surprise party for label founder Robert Raths in Berlin , some of which was recorded - have a look at Peter Broderick, Nils Frahm and friend Martyn playing here. "Erased Tapes: Five Years Old!" from Erased Tapes on Vimeo...

Another set of sublime neo-classical instrumentals from the Berlin resident, which shed new light on the full dynamic range of the piano. By close-miking the instrument from the inside, and playing the keys softly (it’s practically his signature style), Frahm exposes an unexpected set of sounds. Actually, the album almost qualifies as a field recording where the field is the inside of a piano, and the listener is surrounded by the sounds of the room fed through its natural reverb and decay, at least as much as the notes coming from the keys. The resulting arrangements feature microscopic rumbles and creaks and clicks as a kind of supporting orchestra arrived from the wings, and headphones are recommended/essential to get the full benefit. The title apparently derives from Frahm’s need to quieten the piano notes to show consideration for his neighbours during his nocturnal practice sessions. To achieve this effect, he layered thick felt in front of the piano strings. At times though ...

Another beauty from last month's list. Emphemetry - A lullaby hum for tired streets (Time Travel Opps) A beautiful album alternating between ambient instrumentals and heartfelt folk songs with avant-garde leanings, from Derby's Richard Birkin . He describes the album himself as a "time travel fancy" and it comes across a bit like a love poem to his home city. After Catalunya is a sleepy wash of rumbles and drones punctuated with guitar harmonics. The sound of traffic in the rain opens Every other second day , a drunken keyboard waltz with distorted vocal takes over, before a low-key trumpet duet to finish. Five fields has a gorgeous fingerpicked guitar pattern with string accompaniment. Emilelodie is an elegant and arresting piano instrumental eventually submerged under an intriguing wave of static (the piece fits easily into the post-classical camp and in fact Nils Frahm crops up here on production and mixing duties). The overall effect is to put a sense of wo...