Profile
Nils Frahm is German composer, multi-instrumentalist and music producer, and the greatest and representative musician in the current Post-classical music scene.
He is multi-instrumentalist, and he have many acoustic, electric and electronic instruments, and own a big studio.
His characteristics is composition deeply influenced by Classical Music and using synthesizers and, electronic instruments, electric instruments and multiple instruments. He covers a wide-ranging genres from Classical piano solo and ensemble, to electronic music or experimental music.
His iconic performance is the improvisational performance by Roland JUNO-60 and Fender Rhodes. Also he is also popular in the Electronic music scene and its club and festival scene.
Solo Albums
Streichelfisch (AtelierMusik, 2005)
“Streichelfisch” is an early Electronica album by Nils Frahm.
“Lagrimagua” is consist of sentimental piano phrases and ethnic drum sample loops.
“Streichelfisch” is apathetic Electronica, there are keen noises and percussions loops, electric piano and synthesizer pad, synth bass ride on them. Conga and glockenspiel follows.
“Lieb Erlassen” is a lobe but eccentric track. Electric piano plays beautiful melodies. Pulsed electronic noises, modulated electronic percussions and bold synthesizer base construct the track.
“Halm” is passionate and sentimental taste Electronica. It begins electric piano plays melodies, synthesizer pad plays chord and the rhythm of modulated electronic percussions sample loops. Later part, pads accompaniments become more fat, loop become harder and keen.
“7 1/8” is an electric piano and modulated noises based sentimental Electronica.
“No-w-here” is a bright but sorrow mood song. A good ensemble of electric piano, synthesizer lead, synth sequences, synth bold base, bass drum and noisy percussions sample loops.
“Aparaquasynthe” is an experimental track like Drone Ambient. Electric piano plays slow passages, keen sythesizer pad plays solo. In later part, fat and cloudy pad plays chord and lead parts.
A good Electronica album features electric piano and percussion sample loops.
Electric Piano (AtelierMusik / Erased Tapes, 2008)
“Electric Piano” is an early electric piano work of Nils Frahm. It recorded at a shitty studio in South Berlin, in a day.
“Part I” is an arpeggio based improvisational play recording.
“Part II” is an improvisational sentimental song.
“Part III” is consist of fine chord backing and dynamic solos.
“Part V” is a minor key piano improvisation which associates Jazz Solo Piano and Harold Budd.
“Part VI” is an optimistic and vague taste few tone piano improvisation.
“Part VII” is a dynamic and passionate piano improvisation of the Chick Corea taste.
“Part X” is apathetic, melancholic and silent piano improvisation by receptions of a simple motif.
Nils Frahm make use of the characteristics of electric piano (it must be Fender Rhodes), it has less overtone and the unique sound of quick attack. I recommend this album for one who like Harold Budd and Polaroid Piano.
The Bells (Kning Disk / Erased Tapes, 2009)
“The Bells” is Nils Frahm’s early piano solo album. The compositions of this album are deeply influenced by the German and European orthodox Classical Music and Romantic Music. For example Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann and Liszt. Also there are influences of Minimal Music of Steve Reich and Philip Glass and today’s sophisticated pop sense. But the form music of this album is flexible and brand-new.
The compositions have very orthodox, dignified and profound Classical Music tendency. Also he played piano by a Classic trained highly technical piano skill. But in the melodies I felt today’s Pop and contemporary light and sweet mood. Also there are elements of Jazz, he played swinging, dynamically and improvisational, also the harmonies and chord progressions are complex as Jazz, they suggests Pat Metheny of Herbie Hancock.
One of the piano solo masterpieces of Post-classical Music.
Felt (Erased Tape, 2011)
An Electronica, Post-classical or Drone album of Nils Frahm released in 2011 by Erased Tape.
The title “Felt” means felts for mute a piano or a strings instrument. The sound of this album was muted to suit for the night time.
The featured instruments are piano, electric piano, marimba and vibraphone. The compositions were basically played by them. Then they were modulated by effecters and DAW, and were added noise or environmental samples. I feel the music is influenced by Minimal Music (Steve Reich, Philip Glass), New Age and Ambient (Brian Eno). But there are brand-new and freeness tastes of today’s Electronica and Post-classical also it coexists the tradition of Classical Music a bit.
Screws (Erased Tapes Records, 2012)
“Screws” is a piano solo album by Nils Frahm. The titles means the four screws were filled in his left thumb. He had had an accident and he got injured his left thumb. So he inspired his unfortunate accident, he played nine familiar piano songs by his nine fingers for a free musical gift for fans.
The songs and plays are fragmental, formless and improvisational, basic and simple, apathetic and innocent. The titles begins “You”, and names each piano keys go on from “Do” to “Si”, the last song is “Me”. He might not write scores, he played improvisational following his heart without fixed intention, based on the minor scales or modes of each tones. I felt the tastes of Classical, Traditional and Celtic music, and Pop Ballad.
The very pure and relaxing music, there’s no any ornaments and intentions. The music for you want to be a free and innocent state.
Spaces (Erased Tapes, 2013)
“Spaces” is an Electronic and Post-classical album by Nils Frahm. The word, “Spaces” this album was recorded in various spaces during two years. It contains various style of songs from piano solo to Electronica, studio and live recordings.
“Says” is a live recording track, and one of representative and iconic songs and live performances of Nils Frahm. It begins with soft synthesizer sequences and pad chords and fragmental piano improvisations. In later part, sequences and pads tones become fat and sharp.
“Said and Done” is Classical dynamic also sentimental piano piece make full use of his technique. And piano touches become strong and it plays chord backing like Steve Reich.
“Went Missing” and “Familiar” are a Classical arpeggio based silent piano piece with sentimental melodies.
“Improvisation for Coughs and a Cell Phone” is a unique, funny and experimental live recording track of few tones, free form fragmental improvisation, and that does call-and-response to audiences. This track associates the music of Henning Schmiedt.
“Hammer” is an energetic and grandiose also minimal piano solo song.
“For – Peter – Toilet Brushes – More” is European or German taste non-rhythm Electronica track variations.
“Over There, It’s Raining” is Frahm’s one of iconic styles melancholic piano pieces has the European echoes.
“Unter – Tristana – Ambre” is the track of variations of piano pieces by Frahm.
“Ross’s Harmonium” is silent Electronica features harmonium solos. It’s consist of synthesizer sequences and pad chords, and weak bass drums.
Solo (Erased Tapes, 2015)
“Solo” is a piano solo album by Nils Frahm. It’s a pure solo album, there’s no overdub. Classical and orthodox, but modern and minimal, and refreshing also ennui piano pieces.
The compositions are fragmental and ambiguous. The piano plays are improvisational and few touches. And the entire mood is apathetic and relaxing. Expect, only “Wall” is a hard piano backing based Minimal Music song.
All Melody (Erased Tapes, 2018)
“All Melody” is Post-classical, Electronica and Electronic Music album by Nils Frahm.
“The Whole Universe Wants to be Touched” is a Folk and Christian taste female chorus song.
“Sunson” is Electronica track features bold synth base. In the later part sample sequences of pluck instruments and synthesizer pad chords follow.
“A Place” is slow Post-classical music, synthesizer backings and dub modulated percussions are the base of the song. Female chorus and pad or strings lead follow.
“My Friend the Forest” is a simple few-tone apathetic piano song. The one of iconic styles and tastes of Frahm.
“Human Range” is an apathetic Post-classical song. In the former part, it begins with trumpet solo and fragmental glockenspiel backings. The later part female chorus and latin percussions (samples) follow.
“Forever Changeless” is a melancholic piano solo piece, there’s the element of Jazz.
“All Melody” is a very good combination of Frahm’s iconic elements of synthesizer sequences, electric piano improvisation includes the taste of Jazz, and beautiful pad chord and electronic percussion loops.
“# 2” must be the reprise song or the alternative version of “All Melody”.
“Momentum” is a Classical composition is played by synthesizer pad and sequences. It associates J. S. Bach’s “St. Matthew’s Passion” or cantatas and Tangerine Dream.
“Fundamental Values” is an instrumental song has Classical and Jazz elements. It begins with trumpet solos and synthesizer pad. Later part acoustic piano arpeggios replaces the trumpet.
“Kaleidoscope” is Minimal Music by arpeggios of synthesizer sequences, marimba or bell instrument samples and long-tone synth pads, like Steve Reich.
“Harm Hymn” is an organ or synthesizer solo song like Hymn.
This album is good combination of electronic, electric and acoustic instruments, in a song, and among songs. And the best Electronica and Electronic Music work of ensembles of various instruments by Nils Frahm.
All Encores (Erased Tape, 2019)
“All Encores” is a Post-classical album by Nils Frahm. The three LPs set album are consist of twelve tracks, there is a structure of three parts. One is the piano and harmonium duo part. Two is the atmospheric Ambient part. Three is the Electronica part with percussions.
The part one is the part of Classical and Jazz, simple and modern taste compositions plays. The piano tone is clear and natural including touch and hummer noises.
The first track of the part two, “Harmonium in the Well” is a song of a harmonium solo with a very deep reverb and its reflections.
“Sweet Little Lie” and “A Walking Embrace” are sweet and simple but impressive piano pieces with environmental noises and piano reflections.
“Talisman” is a minimal symphonic song like Ambient by pads or strings with deep reverb and chorus.
The first song song of the part three, “Spells” is and electronic Minimal Music of synthesizer lead loop(s) with a pad chord accompaniment. It’s a minimal but 11:00 length grandiose work.
“All Armed” is a synthesizer base based Electronica like Dub Step. Synth Sequences, metallic noise samples, horns, electric piano backings and solos follows by degrees.
The last song, “Amirador” is a minimal silent and mystic synthesizer solo only Ambient.
A good album includes various style productions by Nils Frahm.
Empty (Erased Tapes, 2020)
“Empty” is a piano solo album of Nils Frahm and it originally composed for a soundtrack for a movie he had made. It features piano, environmental noises and their reflections.
The first track, “First Defeat” is a track of abstract fragmental piano and environmental noises.
“A Shine” is consist of rain falling sample(s) and simple repetitions of a piano motif.
“No Step on Wing” is a beautiful simple piano piece with fine touch arpeggios and fragmental phrases.
“The Big O” is a sorrowful piano piece of few notes with long reflections of room noises, like Ambient.
“Second Defeat” is very depressive and melancholic weak touch piano music with tape noise.
“A Shimmer” is a silent and melancholic Minimal piano piece features simple piano riffs.
“Sonar” is an abstract and experimental track, is consist of bold and keen piano arpeggios and reflection noises.
“Black Note” is an European taste melancholic and solitary piano piece witch associates the music of Fabrizio Paterlini.
A fine and bit experimental piano work.
Graz (Erased Tapes, 2021)
“Graz” is a serious and orthodox style recording piano solo album by Nils Frahm. The recordings at a music theatre, Mumuth in the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.
“O I End” is an arpeggio based minimal composition.
“Because This Must Be” is a sorrowful and reflective piano solo piece.
“Kurzum” is a slow and few tones melancholic piano piece.
“And Om” is his iconic style composition that features low tone arpeggio minimal piano significant song.
On the contrary, “Hammers” is aggressive and hard minimal piano song is attached voice samples.
“Crossing” is very few notes and pure transparent piano piece.
“About Coming and Leaving” is also few note utterly apathetic piano piece.
“Went Missing” is a Classical and orthodox sentimental piano piece associates the feeling in traveling and the music of Fabrizio Paterlini and Ludovico Einaudi.
This album is the fruit of his career of piano solo play and composition. On this album, Frahm might express his theme, space, intervals and nothingness by piano, and I think he splendidly succeed it.
Old Friends New Friends (Leiter Verlag, 2021)
“Old Friends New Friends” is a piano featured Post-classical album by Nils Frahm. It is consist of twenty-three piano tracks were recorded during 2009 and 2021. The title means recordings includes old ones he had forgotten and new ones he recently and newly recorded.
“4:33” is apathetic and solitary Classical piano piece.
“Late” is the same, but it is more improvisational as Jazz.
“Berduxa” is a left-hand arpeggio based sentimental piano piece.
“Rain Take” is an experimental Minimal Music with rain noises and arpeggio based piano backings ride on them. My favourite track of this album.
“Weddinger Walzer” is a fragmental, mystique and pathetic piano solo piece.
Also “In the Making”, “Further in the Making” and “All Numbers End” are fragmental short piano pieces.
“The Idea Machine” is a beautiful and sensitive piano piece with tape noises.
“Then Patterns” is Falk taste warm, sweet and nostalgic piano piece, associates the Music of George Winston.
“Corn” is arpeggio based minimal piano piece but there’s Falk and Classical taste.
“New Friend” is a Jazz also Classical taste more improvisational piano piece is played by electric piano.
“Nils Has a New Piano” is a Classical also today’s taste elegant piano piece by clear tone acoustic piano.
“Acting” is a sentimental and elegant Minimal Music piano piece is consist of repetitions and development of arpeggios.
“As a Reminder” is an impressionist piano piece of fine arpeggios. It make up of virtuoso piano technique of Frahm.
“Iced Wood” is a sorrowful piano piece by arpeggios highly modulated by reverb.
“Strickleiter” is a simple apathetic piano piece.
“The Chords” is a very apathetic and simple piano composition. It’s consist of few tones of chords, and make use of resonances and reflections.
“The Chords Broken Down” is minimal arpeggios only composition. It begins from augmented seventh chords, and progresses major seventh chords, seventh chords, minor seventh chords to diminished seventh chords, from funny and joyful tones, usual and ordinary tones to pathetic, sorrowful and strange tones.
“Forgetmenot” is a bright and elegant chord loop composition wot piano reflection or synthesizer pad chords.
“Restive” is a simple, apathetic and relaxing piano piece. The left hand plays arpeggios, the right hand plays few times two or three notes of chords long tones.
“Old Friend” is a Jazz also Classical taste improvisational melancholic and reflective piano piece.
This album contains various tastes, styles, structures and sounds of piano music.
Music For Animals (Leiter Verlag, 2022)
“Music For Animals” is a studio recording Electronic Music and Electronica album by Nils Frahm
“The Dog With 1000 Faces” is an experimental track with pad chords and electronic percussion loops.
“Mussel Memory” is a sythesizer pads only track like Ambient.
Also, “Seagull Scene” is consist of synth pad layers, like Ambient.
“Stepping Stone” is serious and significant Electronic Music like Tangerine Dream, an ensemble of synthesizer pads, bass and leads.
“Breifly” is a slow and vague Electronica track, electronic percussion sample loops with cloudy pad layers, By the later part vibraphone and bold synth lead follow.
“Right, Right, Right” is gentle pads and electronic percussion loops based silent Electronic Music.
“World of Squares” is a bold and keen pads chords and phrases and electric base track like Drone Ambient.
“Lemon Day” is a gentle, mysterious and silent Electronic Music is consist of soft pads, soft synthesizer pads, synth bass and faint electric percussion loops.
“Do Dream” is a song like Anthem or Choral by organ and strings instruments.
Experimental also familiar but sophisticated Electronic Music album contains various styles and formations of instruments.
EPs & Singles
Wintermusik (AtelierMusik, 2009)
A piano based ensemble Post-classical EP by Nils Frahm released in 2009.
“Ambre” is a melancholic also refreshing composition is match for a winter street. Basically piano solo song but some parts are added vibraphone harmonies and passages as ornament.
“Tristana” is a piano arpeggio based Minimal Music style and 17:26 duration long song. A piano play arpeggio throughout the song, but vibraphone or glockenspiel, accordion, clarinet, contrabass and percussions (conga or bongo) go in and out from the song, and he plays them improvisational like Jazz.
“Nue” is a fantastic and cheerful also slightly sorrowful song, that is match for the Christmas or a snow falling town.
Collaboration Albums
7fingers by Nils Frahm & Anne Müller (Erased Tapes, 2011)
“7fingers” is the collaborations album with Nils Frahm. This album has various styles Post-classical, Electronica and Experimental Classical Music.
“Teeth” is consist of improvisational plays of cello by Müller and synthesizer pad by Frahm.
“7fingers” is high-tempo Electronica features electronic percussion loops with Müller’s cello solo. Later part, beautiful pad by Frahm follow.
“Let My Key Be C” is Minimal Music of strings phrases repetitions with cello solos, like Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Later part, electric bass and glockenspiel follow.
“Show Your Teeth” is a percussive Electronica with melancholic cello solos.
“Journey for Traveller” is basically Electronica is consist of electronic percussions loops, synthesizer sequences and pad. Improvisational cello solos dubbings attach it.
“Reminds to Teeth” is beautiful and sentimental Post-classical with piano arpeggios, reverb modulated cello solos and electronic noises.
“Duktus” is sentimental mood Electronica, with swinging percussions, electric piano or synthesizer sequences. String ensemble and cello solos follow.
“Long Enough” is a cool Electronica female vocal song features string ensemble.
“Aussenseiter” is Folk and Classical taste cello and strings song, later part they are edited by electronics.
Resources and Links
Nils Frahm (Official Site)
Erased Tape
Bandcamp
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (DE)
Discogs
Pitchfork
Resident Advisor
AllMusic
Rate Your Music
Facebook Page
List of All Music Reviews
Post-classical, New Age, Ambient, Minimal Music, Electronica
(English, Deutsch, Français, Español, Italiano)
