One of the great things about writing about an artist that you already have some familiarity with, musically speaking, is that you get to experience a part of their artistic journey. And so it is that as I sit down to try to put into words the beautiful sounds found on the intriguingly titled Musical Handbook on the Nature of Compassion, it isn’t an isolated island that I am presented with but one that sits, in a way, at the end of a series of creative stepping stones which have led me, the listener, to it.
And there is a lot to unpack here. Firstly, the title. Even as the first notes flow into our consciousness, we are invited to muse on the nature of compassion, which often seems in short supply in today’s world. As politicians and influential individuals spout all manner of divisive rhetoric, here, guided by the gentle nature of the music, it isn’t hard to consider your own acts of empathy and grace towards those around us and wonder if you might be found wanting.
Then, of course, there is the music that took me by the hand and led me to this place. Pieces such as Poem About a True Butterfly and The Ballet Dancer were so evocative and agile in their sonic descriptions that you couldn’t help but see the images of the titles conjured by the music. But there has always been real depth in Little Meister’s music. Frenzy Waters brings to life not only the titular element and its fluidity, its unending ebbs and flows, but the people whose lives border it and, most recently of all, A Strange Song – Story of Magical Might capturing that same spirit of national spirit as the more rousing tune which inspired it.
Now, we have an entire album to explore, a new suite of music to digest, and a new series of discussions inspired by what we hear. As always, we are presented with a series of instrumental piano pieces, whose perfect placement of notes and astute minimalism hide the fact that these pieces, like pretty much all of the music Little Meister’s releases, is improvised. This is the sound of music being made, largely, in the moment and as always, the music is spacious and atmospheric, understated yet describing our inner thoughts and feelings in deft musical lines. As always, the music is a joy to behold.
There is often a difference between live music and recorded music, and the distance between those two points often relies on just how far the artist and/or engineer wants to step into the world of enhancements and production. The great thing about this music is that you don’t notice the production. Of course, it is there, but so much does it serve the music, so honest does it feel that it never gets in the way of the music itself. Just because all manner of gadgets and gizmos are available to the recording artists, doesn’t mean that you have to use them.
Although the titles generally hint at the natural world, it is evident that these are metaphors, too, describing emotion as much as the environment, inner thought as much as the world around us. Sublime Breeze, for example, may suggest the gentle wind, cooling and calming, but could it not also reflect the subtle actions of good people in the world affecting and inspiring one another? A harmony of decency to protect us from the bombast and brutality of the modern world. Maybe I’m overthinking things, but such is the power of the music here; ironic considering the gossamer delicacy of the music, but power is found in many forms.
But even if taken at face value, these pieces lose none of their ability to make you think. Frosty Night captures the not unwelcome chill of the open air, of standing under clear skies and staring up into the void and Longing For Light, perhaps describing the breaking of a new dawn, a glowing dot of light on the horizon, growing to fill the world. Again, analogies and parallels are easy to find once such imagery is painted.
It is only when you try to find simple superlatives for Little Meister’s music that you discover the limit of language, and most descriptions seem at odds with the seeming simplicity of the music. There is a majesty here born of agility rather than ornateness. An atmosphere comes from allowing the notes to hang in the air as one note lingers and fades before the next is created—a dialogue born, not despite the lack of language and lyrics but because of it. And a grandeur comes through grace rather than impact, poignancy rather than power.
Some might dismiss music such as this as belonging to the classical world and so, not for them. But that would be to miss the point. This is music as infectious as any pop music, as grand as anything found in the realms of rock, as cinematic and thought-provoking as anything made by progressive bands, and as soulful and primal as anything that might be labelled world or roots music. You need to free your mind and embrace the music. If you can do that, it is hard to think of anyone who wouldn’t fall in love with this album immediately.