Hauschka - Snowflakes & Carwrecks

Label: FatCat

It is difficult not to put this seven-track EP, which consists of material recorded during the sessions for Hauschka’s 2008 ‘Ferndorf’ album, into the category of ‘cast-offs’. ‘Snowflakes And Car wrecks’ may be a proposed continuation of the German composer’s ‘prepared piano’ alchemy, but its successes are varied. While this instrumental collection has numerous layers, all based around Hauschka’s reinvention of the piano as an outlet for rhythm as much as melody, and even though it maintains the minimalism of his previous work, it is an uneven collection, which at times struggles to ignite interest. Yet, the addition of cello on the sparse ‘Eisblume’ and the delightfully multi-paced ‘Tanz’, along with deceptively simplistic charm of ‘Wonder’ all adds a welcomed intrigue and interest in the future of this instrumental experiment.

6/10

Download: ‘Wonder’, ‘Tanz’                                                                                    

For Fans of: John Cage, Yann Tiersen