Sonar

Sonar

Aufgang [InFine Music]

23 April, 2009 | 3.01PM

• Written by: Terry Church
• Filed under: Music Recommendations: derrick may, francesco tristano, infine music, jeff mills

When I started listening to Aufgang ‘Sonar’, something inside me started crying. It was almost as if someone had peeled away my layers of skin, exposing me to the world.

Electronic music doesn’t often have the emotional intent and power of classical music, but ‘Sonar’ sure comes damn close.

The improvisational, evolving story of ‘Sonar’ is what makes it so compelling, and that feeling comes from the fact Aufgang are a real band, who play real instruments, led by one of classical music’s fastest rising stars Francesco Tristano.

Barcelona-based 25-year-old pianist Tristano is unique amongst his peers - he’s a big fan of electronic music, and his ‘Not For Piano’ album saw Tristano reinterpret some of electronic music’s most famous tracks using just a piano (both Jeff Mills ‘The Bells’ and Derrick May ‘Strings Of Life’ were revisited, see video below).

With Cassius’ drummer Aymeric Westrich providing live drums, and the beautifully disjointed Tristano piano at the heart of the music, ‘Sonar’ is eons beyond what most electronic music producers can accomplish in their studio.

The stumbling, colliding piano keys are full of emotion, and you can hear the human behind them and feel Tristano who has his eyes closed, locked in the moment.

The whole piece is wrapped gently in a cloak of electronic synths, which contrasts with the classical sensibilities of his piano wonderfully.

The beauty of juxtaposition doesn’t get any better. If I heard this at the end of a good night, it wouldn’t just be my insides crying.

Video: Francesco Tristano ‘Strings Of Life’

Here’s a video of Francesco Tristano performing his reinterpretation of Derrick May ‘Strings For Life’ on TV.

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