Nils Frahm Reworks Miles Davis, Boards of Canada, Nina Simone for 'Late Night Tales' Compilation

BY Sarah MurphyPublished Jul 15, 2015

Berlin-based musician and producer Nils Frahm recently dropped his surprise Solo album, then followed it up with the soundtrack to German film Victoria. Now, it has been revealed that the contemporary composer will be the latest artist to curate a compilation for the Late Night Tales series.
 
Described in a press release as "a hypnotic voyage through modern and classical composition, experimental electronics, jazz, dub techno, soundtracks and soul," the album is due out on September 11.
 
In addition to compiling the collection, Frahm contributes a cover of John Cage's "4'33"" and "Them (Solo Piano Edit)." His personal touches can also be heard on tracks he's reworked like an overdubbed rendition "Mango Drive" by Rhythm and Sound, adding choral interruptions to Miles Davis' "Générique" and slowing down Boards of Canada's "In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country" to a sluggish speed of 33rpm. Frahm's girlfriend's cat Cleo even makes an guest appearance, purring throughout Nina Simone's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes."
 
The compilation also includes pieces from Four Tet, Bibio and Colin Stetson, finally closing with an exclusive spoken word track courtesy of actor Cillian Murphy.
 
Frahm issued the following statement about the project:
 
I've really got off on working on compilations lately. It's such a wonderful way to delve deep into your music collection. My flat is now crammed with music media of all stripes, from an old hand-cranked 78 phonograph player to 45s and albums on vinyl, my beloved old cassette tape collection, even mini-disks and, lately, WAV and MP3s. It's all music to me. After spending hours recording from all of these diverse sources, I started to play around with the tunes, layering them, sampling, looping certain parts, extracting phrases and using all the freedom that this allowed me. If I got a little carried away or stepped on anyone's toes in my quest to do something interesting and original, then I apologise. Some things may have accidentally landed on the wrong speed, while other spooky happening have occurred along the way, whether it's ghostly additions of reverb and delay or simply subtle edits or reproductions, they've all gone into the magical stew I've tried to create for your pleasure and edification. I can't tell you how much fun I've had creating this compilation for you but, suffice to say, I hope it will be a nice journey for your mind and heart.
 
You can see the full tracklisting below. Scroll past it to hear a sampler of the forthcoming release.
 
Late Night Tales:
 
1. Nils Frahm - 4'33" (Exclusive John Cage cover version)
2. Baka Forest People Of South East Cameroon - Liquindi 2
3. Carl Oesterhelt & Johannes Enders - Divertimento Fur Tenorsaxophon Und Kleines Ensemble Pt.4
4. Four Tet - 0181 (Excerpt)
5. George Autry - You're The Only Star In My Blue Heaven
6. Boards of Canada - In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country
7. Bibio - It Was Willow
8. Dictaphone - Peaks
9. Vladimir Horowitz - The Flight Of The Bumblebee
10. Miles Davis - Concierto de Aranjuez (Adagio)
11. Victor Silvester & His Ballroom Orchestra - Talk Of The Town
12. System - SK20
13. Rhythm & Sound - Mango Drive
14. Miles Davis - Générique
15. Dinu Lipatti - O Herr Bleibet Meine Freunde, BWV 147 
16. Colin Stetson - The Righteous Wrath Of An Honorable Man
17. Penguin Café Orchestra - Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter
18. Nina Simone - Who Knows Where The Time Goes
19. Nina Jurish - Cleo The Cat (Exclusive track)
20. Dub Tractor - Cirkel
21. The Gentlemen Losers - Honey Bunch
22. Nils Frahm - Them "Solo Piano Edit" (Exclusive version)
23. Cillian Murphy - In The Morning (Exclusive spoken word piece)
 

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