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Hear Nils Frahm’s ‘Hammers,’ a Fluttering Reichian Dream

Nils Frahm 'Hammers' Stream Shapes Live Album

Nils Frahm is the rare pianist/composer who’s transcended his all-too niche trappings. Like Steve Reich before him, his subtle usurping of classical values has helped this Berlin musician cross over. And though his studio recordings are typically pure piano, his improvisation-rich live show often includes a Rhodes, a tape machine, and an analog synthesizer or two. Today, November 19, the Erased Tapes label releases Spaces, an 11-song set culled from various performances spanning the past two years. Below you’ll find “Hammers,” which generates a drone-like flurry of keys while our host plays with a bass melody that feels almost Nine Inch Nails-like toward the end. Frahm will celebrate Spaces‘ release with a November 25 show at Le Poisson Rouge.

 Nils Frahm 'Hammers' Stream Shapes Live Album