Nils Frahm

The twofold meaning in the title of Nils Frahm's new "inside" piano masterpiece comes from the quiet elation and blues the playing evoke, as well as the actual thick layer of material he used to dampen the strings, allowing clandestine late night work that wouldn't rile his neighbours. Stalking these muted vibrations with microphone gain on high and close to the strings, Frahm not only captured a remarkably warm and rich variety of tones and collisions, but also the sounds of his breathing, key depressions and all manner of room sounds as a bonus. Sifting through the results, he has managed to create a microcosmic orchestra of layered parts, with some tasteful additional instruments here and there to highlight key moments. From the bass and guitar embellishments over the upbeat roulade of opener "Keep" to the quiet claustrophobia of buzzing notes, breath sounds and the scherzo of hands slipping over wood in "Pause," he manages to extend his playing beyond what is commonly expected from solo piano, or even prepared piano, for that matter.