What stands out the most about 4 Hands is the fact that Tim Story and Hans-Joachim Roedelius, despite their long distance, recorded separately on the same piano and then seamed the two together as one fluent piece. There is a great sense of clarity; this album will certainly clear your head like a relaxed wash of warm water right over you.
Tim Story is an American composer and Hans-Joachim Roedelius is a German electronic musician and composer. The two are well acclaimed and are well seasoned and celebrated veterans at what they do, even with Story being Grammy nominated. They also have known each other and have been friends for forty years, often collaborating with one another through music. This time tagged as Roedelius & Story, they've once again come together with a new album called 4 Hands out on Erased Tapes records, one of my favorite labels in classical, electronic and beyond. What stands out the most about 4 Hands is the fact that the two, despite their long distance, recorded separately on the same piano and then seamed the two together as one fluent piece (like four hands playing on a piano). When listening, you wouldn't even know that these songs were performed by two people; that's how seamless and smooth the production, mixing, and performances are.
The songs themselves are generally simple, being generally piano based. There are some added textures sprinkled out within the instrumentation throughout the track listing, such as the additional strumming chords and electronics on "Seeweed," percussion on "Crisscrossing," or appropriate 'skittering' sounds through strumming on "Skittering." There's a prominent sense of calmness, reflection, and joy through these compositions. Some of my favorites include "Nurzu," "Spirit Clock," "Allegro Estinto," "Bent Rhyme," and "Ba." If you pop these on to some great sounding headphones, this album will certainly clear your head like a relaxed wash of warm water right over you. If I had do describe the listening experience in one word it would be "clarity." After listening, I felt really relaxed and refreshed. The music itself is very beautiful and transparent but also retrospective. Every sound is out in the open for you to observe and there is nothing hiding or lurking out in the smoke. Sometimes you just need music that evokes those senses, especially during a time of crisis that we are currently living in.
Unlike other album reviews I've written, I feel like I don't have as much to write or delve into this review maybe because of my lack of knowledge when it comes to classical music or piano-based compositions. Or maybe I really don't have to; the music itself really speaks for itself quite clearly and openly. I'm impressed with Roedelius and Story's staggered collaborations and how they seem so interconnected on record. I enjoy the simple, straightforward approach with these compositions and the two including some nicely added variation in sound when desired. I also appreciate the duo's continued friendship still to this day after decades and decades. Don't sleep on 4 Hands. It's got some of the best piano compositions you'll probably hear all year. If you really need a break and/or a time of reflection during these stressful and chaotic times, giving 4 Hands a thorough listen on some really great headphones wouldn't be so much a bad idea.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Spirit Clock," "Seeweed," "Allegro Estinto," "Crisscrossing," "Ba," "Bent Rhyme"
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