Making music for its own sake has its own rewards. Art, for art’s sake, right? And then there is the making of music to reflect a personal thought or inspiration. A musical outlet for an idea is always good. But things certainly get more interesting when the creative process is driven by invisible hands beyond your control. And this, to a degree, is what is happening here.
This is lo-fi music on demand. Listeners suggest a theme, idea or thought to the artist, and they, in turn, create chilled and understated music, which, in some way, reflects that suggestion. A neat idea, huh? A two-way street, a musical collaboration between the artist and the listener, a creative conversation playing out in sonic dialogue.
And the result, in this case, is a gorgeously minimal piece—gentle cascades of spacious piano dancing delicately over a programmed beat. The perfect interface of analogue and digital, tradition and technology. Add a few electronic washes, mix the beat up slightly to punctuate, and there you have it. Chilled, understated, seductively simple.
It exemplifies the old and oft-overused adage; less is more. But here, it is the perfect description. Space is the key. Rather than try to fill every pause with music, it is the space that frames the piece and makes its impact more powerful…though powerful might not be the best word to use. It is space which allows the song to breathe. It is space which adds atmosphere and anticipation. It is space which is the unseen instrument, the ghost in the machine, the uninvited yet welcome guest.
And to push said adage to breaking point – if less is more, and indeed it is, then this much less makes for so much more. More or less.
