‘Phraxia’ is a step up in terms of evolution and refinement for pianist and composer Nick Pike. ‘Phraxia’ is a solo piano album at its core, but there’s a presence of synths in the background that add texture, depth, and subtle atmosphere to each track. The music featured on ‘Phraxia’ ranges from spacious to intimate, contemplative, and calming, and Pike’s compositions shine in these sonic spaces. ‘Phraxia’ opens with the title track “Whispertide”. A soft and flowing tide of notes mirrors the movement of water ebbing and receding. “Abaluna” similarly centers around the piano but with a warmer, deeper timbre as the notes are allowed to breathe and resound. ‘Phraxia’ continues the richness of the composition as its soundscape, with more electronic undercurrents. The sound of the piano and synths interplay and dance through notes of gentle wonderment. The track “Aroha” is filled with a gentle emotional center, so intimate you can almost imagine it as a conversation with the keys, with “Deepward Glow” being a cinematic pause with the sound source emanating from deep within.
“Für Beethoven” is a great track to which listeners are likely to bring strong associations as Pike’s reinvention of “Für Elise”, or at least what most people know as “Für Elise”. Pike’s arrangement twists the harmony here in a way that playfully tweaks the mood of the familiar melody. “Vangise (Water Lullaby)” can be heard as a lullaby, and its arrangement is built up in layers with the quality of water droplets rippling across its surface. “Mareel” continues the overall theme of slowness and deliberation with its composition, building an image of light twinkling from underneath the ocean’s surface. The album’s penultimate track “Minavra” is more focused and directed, an intimate piano composition built in texture but with a sense of delicacy. The album’s final track, “Maramor”, is a return to closure and a sense of completeness. The gentle tones and airy brightness of the track are also very calm and uplifting.
The album’s overall sound is one of classical clarity, tempered with emotional expression. Each piano composition is spacious and unhurried, a quality that helps to make the listening experience easygoing and enjoyable. The synth accompaniments are not overly present, and they provide a sense of dimension to the music as a whole. ‘Phraxia’ is an album to enjoy in still moments, one that feels like it can be appreciated while working late nights and clearing the mind or just drifting. The music feels both timeless and new and is the work of one of the most accessible and listenable modern composers.
Follow Nick Pike on Spotify, Bandcamp, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Also Visit his Official Website
About the Author
English