Nils Frahm: All Melody Vinyl 2LP Nils Frahm

Ninth studio album from Germany’s Nils Frahm. Recorded in the storied Funkhaus studio in Germany, All Melody is the composer’s greatest statement to date. He’s fleshed out his usual arsenal of keyboards, pianos and organ, adding strings, voice, tympani and more. Frahm spent nearly two years building out his dream room in the Funkhaus, a 1950s recording complex in East Berlin. The album’s rich sonics are a direct result of the building’s acoustics. The Funkhaus’ concrete reverb chambers are put to good use. Frahm has a way of balancing programmed and improvised music. It is most evident on the more rhythmically oriented tracks, like “All Melody” and “#2.” He’s able to squeeze nuances out of his instruments while avoiding over complicating things. From the closely mic’d piano of “Forever Changeless” to the air that fills in the spaces on album closer “Harm Hymn,” Frahm’s attention seems to be turned towards the subtleties in his music. All Melody is a gorgeous effort that finds the composer shedding the pretense of any grand concept. Absent of that, Nils Frahm is free to explore the the instruments and studio space with which he works. And we could not be more impressed by the results. Twelve tracks in all. Released by Erased Tapes Records on double vinyl housed in a tip-on sleeve with photograph, includes a twelve page booklet and a digital download.

• double vinyl pressing
• tip-on sleeve with photograph
• twelve page booklet
• digital download included
• music label: Erased Tapes Records 2018

reviewed by Laonge Aire 02/2018