With his second album, ‘Piano Tales’, Schlindwein has created another musical journey where he is exploring the sonic possibilities of his main instrument in the electronic realm. Again he has worked with NHOAH and his Label R.O.T. Records in top-class studios in Berlin and Vienna to deliver a production of the highest level. Classically inspired compositions and electronic sounds merge into their own world of dreamy, lush atmospheres while creating seamless transitions between neoclassic, electronica, and deep house.
In the first chapter on ‘Piano Tales’, ‘Rhapsodie’, Schlindwein invokes a melancholically sweet piano that glides over frozen atmospheres as if looking for something that will never be found, only to wander too deep inside the well. It’s that winter morning that breaks the hardest of men. With the frost behind us, ‘Reverie’ sets in. Pulsating beats begin to thwart the ice in a warm embrace, rushing in like blood to the head as synthetic shards radiate and glow like diamonds across the night. Gently, Schlindwein’s keys regain control once again, playfully intertwining with arpeggios and modulating synthesizers for a wondrous picture that dazzles with every turn.
Completely invested in the storyline by now, ‘Indigo’ sees the artist craft a delectable percussive pattern that meanders down to a beautiful clear in his tale, where the melody beams like sunlight, allowing us to see clearly for the first time. Contemplative, yet uplifting, the track plays an enchanting game that is reminiscent of brighter days. Past the last ray of light, the abyss in ‘Textures’ pulls us into a riptide of electronic lead lines and heavily twisted stabs drenched in reverb that leads the charge in an energetic manner, blending trance and techno until the stitches are long gone.
For the fifth act, known as ‘Arabesque’, Schlindwein paints a panoramic view that ventures deep into the sand of time, where an organic frame serves as the foundation of a soaring tale in exotic lands. A unique blend of synths, keys, and strings tug at the end of the chord, unraveling a mystifying moment that stands out as one of the artist’s most ambitious creations in these ‘Piano Tales’. With the last beats at the turn of the page, ‘Lost In Time’ serves as a wonderful twist, brimming with life on its reflective surface, where piano keys and big drum breaks coexist in a symbiotic fashion. With the producer now reaching for the stars, the track features a grandiose breakdown that never loses finesse or resigns any power in its quest for transcendence.
As with every story told, a propper ending is required, and ‘New Life’ does just that for Schlindwein’s ‘Piano Tales’. Beautiful from the onset, the final cut is a gorgeous vocal-lead piece that serves as both a closing and starting point. In a way, this is the German maestro teasing a new beginning, built on the ashes of what we once were. A delightful contradiction that lives in each one of us.
Schlindwein’s ‘Piano Tales’ is out now via R.O.T. Records. Purchase your copy here.
Follow Schlindwein: Soundcloud | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
