PRE-ORDER ITEM : Expected
January 1st 1970.
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A beautiful, highly recommended album. Stringent seriality is combined with the romanticism of minor key modern twentieth-century piano akin to Michael Nyman, Wim Mertens, Arvo Pärt, John Cage, and György Kurtág. Deep contemplation and solemn expression paired with intellectual clarity. Recorded by Tobias Levin at the Laiszhalle Philharmony Hamburg a dense concert atmosphere sets the tone.
Unlike Naujoks' debut, "True Life / In Flames" completely relinquishes the use of any sort of electronically generated sound. Instead, there is a consistent stylization of what one might call 'organic sound'. The figure of the bedroom producer is relieved here by that of the composer and pianist. There's a piano, played by Naujoks; there's the marimba of Martin Krause; and then Naujoks' voice – once, twice.
This album could be designated as a suite with various movements – it's bracketed by the conspicuous reprise of its most songlike piece, 'Moments I' and 'Moments II', as well as by the economy of the unchanging instrumentation and the black and white cover photograph by Dirk Stewen that references the recording location: the Laeiszhalle of the Hamburg Philharmonic. Piano and marimba stand there on an almost cave-like stage, surrounded by music stands, microphones and stacked Egon Eiermann SE 68 SU chairs. A company of genuine instruments.
Again Christian Naujoks embrace the world of contemporarys music loving connaisseurs. True Life/In Flames is a gift for all thouse hunting the unique, the deep, the outstanding. All's quiet at the beginning, as it is at the end. Piano music with Marimba and Vocals recorded at Philharmonie Hamburg. Wonderful artwork by Dirk Steven / Till Sperrle.