Yann Tiersen

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Portrait

Mute, 2019

8/10

Listen to Portrait

A double disc, cassette or triple LP of 25 songs recorded throughout Yann Tiersen’s esteemed career, including 3 new ones, this analog effort brings in several guests for a very live sounding experience.

“Introductory Movement”, with Stephen "O’Malley, starts the listen with 7 minutes of ambience in the intimate setting, and “The Long Road” follows with a key heavy presence of elegance amid Tiersen’s inimitable delivery.

Other disc 1 highlights include the piano acrobatics of “The Old Man Still Wants It”, and the restrained, cautious “Chapter 19”, where deep vocals add much to the moody setting. “La Dispute”, the highlight from this portion, delivers a minimal approach with much beauty as the accordion and piano work off each other.

Disc 2 notables include “The Waltz Of the Monsters”, which flows with a classical quality armed with a toy piano, while “Naval” adds a cinematic approach to the highly sophisticated listen. “Kala”, featuring Olavur Jakupsson, stands out among the pack here, with expressive singing alongside timeless keys from Tiersen.

Though Tiersen’s name might not be a household one, if you’ve seen Amelie you’ve heard his work as he soundtracked the film.

An artist who has had a lengthy, prolific career, you might think of this collection as a ‘Best Of’ record, and by choosing to reinvent songs as far back as 1995 and as recent as 2019, Portrait gives us an in depth look into the vast catalog of one of the most talented musicians/composers of this generation.

Travels well with: Clint Mansell- Stoker; Nils Frahm- Spaces