‘Ambivalence and melancholy are the prevailing moods on The Blue Hour’
Berlin based, ‘piano poet’ Federico Albanese took inspiration from the brief transitional state between day and night, writing a collection of chamber-music miniatures that withdraw, explore, yet assert their laconic melodies all the more decisively. The emotions to which Albanese has given expression in his thirteen compositions have been articulated with well-considered gestures.
Equally well-considered is the choice of instruments that Federico Albanese deploys on ‘The Blue Hour’. Piano and synthesizers are joined by a cello, magnified by over-dubbing and sound effects that culminate into a little chamber orchestra, which swells the acoustics while checking the dominance of a clear solo voice. Albanese esteems the Gesamtklang, the overall sound image, with its mixture of compositional precision and dreamlike fluidity. For this reason, the pieces are recorded from start to finish on analogue equipment, further enhancing the warmth of their sound. In ‘Céline’ we hear a discreet beat, scarcely perceptible, a gentle pulse that lends structure without jeopardizing the charm of ‘The Blue Hour’.
The Blue Hour will be released on LP, CD Download via Neue Meister on 11 January, 2016