Neoclassical Suite, XXIII

Neoclassical Suite is a column that will present 7 recent, distinctive tracks of the neoclassical-modern classical-contemporary -and beyond!- music field.

The Players

Philippe Paquet

(neoclassical)

Philippe Paquet is a Canadian composer based in the Montreal region. He studied jazz guitar and classical composition at Université de Montréal. His music is about a collection of life events, emotions and experiences weaved tightly together. He combines the sounds of contemporary minimalism, classical, pop and film music to create a very unique and personal tapestry.

Umeå Bodø

(neoclassical, new age, solo piano)

New Age piano music. Inspired by the deep sea, Scandinavian landscapes and composers like Yiruma, Joep Beving, Ólafur Arnalds and many others. Umeå is a city in eastern Sweden, known for its museums and cultural institutions. Bodø is the capital of Nordland county, Norway. It is located just north of the Arctic Circle.

Frans Bak

(neoclassical, contemporary music)

Frans Bak played piano throughout his childhood, immersing himself totally in the melodies that he created, where he found solace. He later graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Music and formed a number of bands, experimenting with music, fusing together his classical training with different genres, sounds and modern technologies, and in doing so, has carved out a unique sound through his own compositions, ambient, melodic, atmospheric. Frans creates a dreamy and intense soundscape, for a truly immersive listening experience.

Frans is a highly accomplished composer, with over thirty years experience scoring for the film, TV and advertising industries, receiving international critical acclaim for his compositions for Nordic, French, American and British TV series including ‘Disparue’, ‘Doctor Foster’ and ‘Lilyhammer’. A pioneer of the Nordic Noir genre, his mesmerising music for ‘The Killing’ is widely acclaimed, setting new musical standards for crime TV and inspiring other composers to apply the ‘Nordic feel’. Frans has also scored three Oscar nominated shorts: Ernst & Lyset, Helmer & Son and Skal vi være kærester?

REW<<

(neoclassical)

REW<< is the solo moniker of Ryan E. Weber. He originally hails from the snowy western shores of Lake Michigan, but these days can occasionally be found roaming subterranean tunnels under the American Capital. REW<< has itself been the vehicle for a number of styles and sounds, with visions experimental and ambitious. His first full length, Departeures, recorded in a series of hotel rooms and train cars across much of Africa and Asia, offered a subtropical and reflective slice of dream pop, while 2015’s Olive Skinned, Silver Tongued Sirens Sing Swan Songs pushed into neo-classical territory. Still, the latter employed pop sensibilities to counter the classical vibe, making for a record that blurred the distinction between avant garde experimentalism and accessible pop. Newer works demonstrate another direction for REW<<‘s sound, with Weber shedding the pop aspects in favour of a pure neo-classical aesthetic. Centring the piano as the driving force and dropping much of the dressing in favour of stark emotion.

Emiji

(neoclassical, cinematic)

Emiji is a Dublin based artist, composer, sound engineer and music producer.

He provides us with beautiful, soothing sounds of pianos, textural ambiences, cinematic drums, engaging and epic atmospheres, and relaxing voices. His music meets our deepest roots in a peaceful place where we can dive deep into ourselves and go for a beautiful, introspective Journey.

Emiji encapsules deep emotions, mixed with sometimes dark and sometimes epic atmospheres. His music is an eclectic genre bending mix of IDM, Cinematic and Ambient, much like the journey of a roller coaster.

Pêtr Aleksänder

(modern classical, contemporary music)

Pêtr Aleksänder create a considered sound, controlled in its execution, by way of purposefully limiting the instruments at their disposal to piano and strings, but never at the expense of the raw, emotional impact that a simple yet incisive sound can deliver. Early recordings such as Sans Souci quickly caught the attention of streaming services, the wider public and in turn, renowned indie label Nettwerk, who offered the band a record deal which was signed in December 2017. The band released a music video for “Bells” in September 2017, featuring aspiring dancer Jacob Lang, a finalist in the contemporary dance category of BBC Young Dancer 2017. A support tour with Norwegian singer Susanne Sundfør in October 2017 saw the band perform across the UK and in Sweden. The live show consisted of the looping of various instruments and the re-imagining of arrangements, all before a backdrop of visuals created by the band themselves. The band’s debut album “Closer, Still” is out now

Rikard Mathisson

(neoclassical, solo piano)

Piano Where It Feels!

Rikard Mathisson is a newborn contempary piano composer, artist and producer. He produces piano music in varying style; solo piano in the style of Yann Tiersen, Michael Nyman, Nils, Frahm and pop in the style of Béatrice Martin (Coeur de Pirate) and Coldplay, and electronica in the style of Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis and/or Mike Oldfield.

He writes and produces neoclassical Nordic folk-inspired music and lyrics. Earthbound and heavenly, true to the core of each tune, striving to inspire other people to contribute to this universe with art and music during the lifetime, contributing to something larger than the individual. Every song has it’s own soul, mood and sense…