Solo Piano. Ella van der Woude

There are so many records released in the past two year that hold (almost) just a piano that is played ever so slowly, as if every note needs to be saved for later. I have been told this new niche in music is called the new romantics. (Not to be confused with the glam style New Romantics of the early 80s like Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran.)

In those two years several of these records came by, but in the end how much can one tell about a piano being played? Not that much, I'm afraid.

Ella van der Woude featured on the blog before with an EP holding totally different music than on offer here (and .No wrote a lyrical review on one of the singles on Solo Piano). A few years ago she composed the music on Solo Piano as a way to say goodbye to her beloved Amsterdam apartment. The result is an album she can be quite pleased with. The compositions are extremely beautiful. The sound deliciously spacious. The piano sounds as if recorded in a cathedral.

The music has a calming, soothing effect on me. Almost like meditating, something I haven't done for ages. It is a form of consciousness that I can call up the few times I need it, I notice. These compositions could well serve as music used for meditation sessions as the flowing notes can make a mind wonder away from all that is happening in the here and now.

There is not a lot more to add here, except that Snowstar Records has released another special and beautiful album. One of a sort that I did not see coming on this label. Chapeau.

For those with patience, there are two more instrumental albums coming up today.

Wo.

You can listen to and buy Solo Piano here:

https://snowstar.bandcamp.com/album/solo-piano


or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g