Exiles
Deutsche Grammophon, 2021
8/10
The inimitable composer Max Richter takes on a significant project here, where he reimagines compositions from his past that were originally penned for a Virginia Woolf-inspired ballet, Fendi fashion runways, Hollywood blockbusters, Golden Globe winning documentaries and even an earlier record that was adored by David Bowie. For the occasion, Richter’s got Kristjan Järvi and the Baltic Sea Philharmonic on hand for the superbly executed listen.
“Flowers For Herself” starts the listen with dancing piano and warm strings populating the shimmering melodies and intricate rhythm that immediately draws us in, and “On The Nature Of Daylight” follows with a sublime and stirring climate that recruits many strings that are layered with a soothing, orchestral quality.
In the middle, “The Haunted Ocean” recruits a darker, cinematic approach, where both mystery and fascination reside, While “Infra 5” continues the creativity, as the bass, violas and cellos interact with much skill, restraint and timelessness.
Finishing out the listen are “Sunlight” and the title track, where the former is a calm, hopeful track with a meticulous violin solo, and the latter exits with both bare moments and fuller bouts of powerful, ebullient song craft as Richter shows us an incredible vision of chamber and orchestral ideas.
A listen that’s entirely unpredictable and is constantly changing in its trajectory, with 60+ strings present on some tracks, this is a fine example of minimalism at its finest. Though the songs are often rooted in topics like the migrant crisis, terrorist attacks and war, the music is often intimate, expansive and heartfelt, and serves as a fine introduction for those new to Richter and necessary for the longtime fan.
Travels well with: Apollo Chamber Players- With Malice Towards None; John-Henry Crawford- Dialogo