01 Nils Frahm 4:33 (Exclusive John Cage Cover Version)

02 The Baka Forest People Of South-East Cameroon Liquindi 2

03 Carl Oesterhelt/Johannes Enders
Divertimento Für Tenorsaxophon Und Kleines Ensemble Part 4
04 Four Tet 0181 (excerpt)
05 Gene Autry You’re The Only Star (Nils Frahm’s ‘78’ Recording)
06 Boards of Canada In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country
07 Bibio It Was Willow
08 Dictaphone Peaks
09 Vladimir Horowitz The Flight Of The Bumble Bee
10 Miles Davis Concierto de Aranjuez
11 Victor Silvester It’s The Talk Of The Town
(Nils Frahm’s ‘78’ Recording)
12 System SK20
13 Rhythm & Sound Mango Drive
14 Miles Davis Générique
15 Dinu Lipatti O Herr Bleibet Meine Freunde, BWV 147
16 Colin Stetson The Righteous Wrath Of An Honorable Man
17 Penguin Café Orchestra
Cutting Branches For A Temporary Shelter
18 Nina Simone Who Knows Where the Time Goes
19 Nina Jurisch Cleo The Cat
20 Dub Tractor Cirkel
21 The Gentlemen Losers Honey Bunch
22 Nils Frahm Them (Solo Piano Edit - Exclusive Version)
23 Cillian Murphy In The Morning
(Exclusive Spoken Word Piece)
I’ve really got off on working on compilations lately.
It’s such a wonderful way to delve deep into your
music collection. My flat is now crammed with
music media of all stripes, from an old hand-
cranked 78 phonograph player to 45s and albums
on vinyl, my beloved old cassette tape collection,
even MiniDiscs and, lately, WAV and MP3s. It’s all
music to me. After spending hours recording from
all of these diverse sources, I started to play around
with the tunes, layering them, sampling, looping
certain parts, extracting phrases and using all the
freedom that this allowed me. If I got a little carried
away or stepped on anyone’s toes in my quest to do
something interesting and original, then I apologise.
Some things may have accidentally ended up the
wrong speed, while other spooky happenings have
occurred along the way, whether it’s ghostly
additions of reverb and delay or simply subtle edits
or reproductions, they’ve all gone into the magical
stew I’ve tried to create for your pleasure and
edification. I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had
creating this compilation for you, and I hope it will
be a nice journey for your mind and heart.
Nils Frahm
July 2015
Where to start with a man like Nils Frahm? To which
fatuous category might one place him, since they all
seem so hopelessly inadequate? He is a classical
composer, yet he isn’t really. He’s an electronic
musician, sort of. He’s an improviser, for sure, one of
music’s true searchers, looking for something he may
never find. Meanwhile, we’re all there to join him for
the thrilling ride, strapped down to his Fender Rhodes,
hoping not to crash.
Hamburg-born and Berlin-based Nils Frahm’s career
path seemed pre-ordained from a young age. His
household was awash with Manfred Eicher’s ECM
releases thanks to his father Klaus, a freelance
photographer who provided pictures for several record
covers. While other teenagers were lusting over
pictures of Boyz II Men, Nils was comparing the
relative merits of Keith Jarrett and Arvo Pärt. An early
obsession with the recording process, clearly evident
both here and on his own recordings, suggests
someone equally driven and inspired by the world of
sound. His debut album, Streichelfisch, was released
in 2005, but the inexorable trajectory of his career
began with his first studio outing for Erased Tapes,
Felt, followed by the brilliant Spaces, a collection of
his extraordinary live performances from which much
of the interest in Frahm derives.
This mix haunts and beguiles, lilts and jolts, darting
from leftfield composers like John Cage to 50s British
dance band leader Victor Silvester or Rimsky-
Korsakov and back to Miles Davis, via Rhythm &
Sound. Somehow, it all makes sense. It’s not mixing,
so much as gently layering, like a particularly fluffy
goose-down duvet folding in on itself, the folds part of
the attraction, the layers part of the overall picture
being painted.
Many of the tracks have been pulled apart, edited, broken This crackly reality abounds, as on Finnish band The
and re-made or fiddled with. The subtly overdubbed parts Gentleman Losers’ ‘Honey Bunch’, that adds an unsettling
on ‘Mango Drive’ adding to the haunting hypnosis, while texture, with a sound that is modern but as nostalgic as a
choral interruptions aid Miles Davis’ ‘Générique’ on its pot of tea, warming by the hearth on a Sunday evening.
journey towards the light. Meanwhile, on Boards Of
Canada’s ‘In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country’, the You can almost see the sound, it’s so suggestive.
tempo is somewhat sluggish, the organs slurred, as Frahm
slows it down to a funereal 33rpm that nevertheless fits But this is not sound design. It’s a sound sculpture, hewn
perfectly. from the fervid imagination of Nils Frahm. Delicately
chipping away at the fragments of melody, shards of
Gene Autry’s ‘You’re The Only Star’, a country tune that sound, hypnosis via the black and white of the piano key.
sounds like its transmitting from a mid-west diner wireless Here he comes. All bow down and hold on tight.
circa 1947, is straight from the soundtrack to an imaginary
David Lynch movie, comforting and dismaying all at once. Bill Brewster
01. Nils Frahm. 02. The Baka Forest 03. Carl Oesterhelt/ 04. Four Tet.
4:33 People Of South-East Johannes Enders. 0181 (excerpt)
Written by John Cage. Cameroon. Divertimento Für Written by Kieran Hebden.
Published by Copyright Control. Liquindi 2 Tenorsaxophon Und Produced by Kieran Hebden.
p 2015 Nils Frahm. Written by The Baka Forest Kleines Ensemble Part 4 Published by Universal Music
People. Published by March Written by Carl Oesterhelt & Publishing Group. p 2012 Text
This rework could be considered Hare Publishing Ltd. Produced Johannes Enders. Published by Records. Licensed courtesy of
a joke. I sat at the piano in by Martin Cradick. Remixed by Copyright Control. Produced by Text Records.
silence and worked from there. Martin Cradick. From the album Carl Oesterhelt & Johannes
I listened and took in the “Voice of the Rainforest” Enders. p 2010 Alien Transistor. I’ve got many Four Tet
atmosphere and this is what by The Baka Forest People. Licensed courtesy of Alien recordings and treasure them
came out of it. Of course, it p 2013 March Hare Music. Transistor. tenderly, but I wanted to choose
doesn’t do Cage justice, but it march-hare-music.com. one that was slightly off the
was more fun playing rather Licensed courtesy of March These guys come from two beaten path. This is an excerpt
than sitting in silence. Hare Music. veterans of the famed Weilheim from an album that came out
scene and the album from on Text a few years ago, that
I have a friend called Laszlo which this tune is taken may seemed to slip under most
Szell who is an encyclopaedia well be my favourite German people’s radar. I stitched this
of musical knowledge. When I jazz record of recent years. together with some other lyrical
started this project I approached Unfortunately, the album pieces that I layered on top.
him for some craziness from his deserves much greater
vast music archive and this is exposure, hence its inclusion
one of the things he sent. It’s here.
women drumming on the
surface of water with their
hands. Simple but truly
compelling. I added some
reverb and bass just to
accentuate its natural power.

05. Gene Autry. 06. Boards of Canada. 07. Bibio. 08. Dictaphone.
You’re The Only Star In A Beautiful Place Out It Was Willow Peaks
Written by Gene Autry. p 1936. In The Country Written by Stephen Wilkinson. Written by Oliver Doerell,
Written & produced by Sandison Published by Dirty Loop Music. Piotr Rybkowski, Roger Döring
The fun of hunting for 78s is & Eoin. Published by Warp p 2005 Bibio. Licensed courtesy & Stephan Wöhrmann. Published
that you have to buy blind since Music/EMI Music. p 2000 Warp of Warp Records. by Copyright Control. Produced
there’s often no way of listening Records Limited. Licensed by Dictaphone. p 2004 City
to them. I found this particular courtesy of Warp Records. Each part of this mix is Centre Offices. Licensed courtesy
one on a flea market in the warp.net important in some way, whether of City Centre Offices.
States. I’d accumulated a it’s joining two parts together or
bunch of these gems, so I dug Often, the most interesting bridging from one song to Long before I had moved to
out my old phonograph player, things happen quite by accident. another, or changing the mood Berlin and got to know him in
dropped the needle down and This is one of them. I started to or direction completely. And person, Dictaphone’s Oliver
recorded my favourites and this record my vinyl and went into even though I’ve only used a Doerell was one of my musical
one stood out. I gave it a the kitchen to make a cup of small amount of ‘It Was Willow’, idols. There was something
haunting, hypnotic quality with coffee and when I returned, I it’s still just as important as any about his sound, both with
the judicious use of reverb. found I’d ripped it at the wrong other part of the mix, because Dictaphone and his other act
speed. But listening back it ultimately, it’s about creating Swod, that I always held close to
sounded too good to press atmosphere and moods with my heart. It truly touched me.
delete. This band really did music and Bibio, especially his When I discovered that these
change my life completely when first two albums, does that so guys were contemporaries of
I discovered them so I hope they wonderfully. mine and that they lived in Berlin,
will forgive me this “small” it really made me want to move
indulgence… Who am I to mess there to create music the way
with BOC? they were doing it, too. This song
still stands out as a timeless
classic.
09. Vladimir Horowitz. 10. Miles Davis. 11. Victor Silvester. 12. System.
The Flight Of The Concierto de Aranjuez It’s The Talk Of The Town SK20
Bumble Bee Written by Joaquín Rodrigo. Written by Livingston, Symes & Written by Anders Remmer,
Written by Nikolai Rimsky- Published by MCPS Ltd / Schott Neiburg. p 1938. Jesper Skaaning & Thomas
Korsakov. p 1932. & Co. Ltd (MCPS) / S.G.A.E. / Knak. p 2002.
MCPS Ltd. / Schott & Co. Ltd. Sometimes when you choose
It may seem incongruous amid (MCPS). Produced by Teo music, it’s not for emotional This collaboration project of
the clatter and clang of the Macero. p 1960 Sony Music reason or even logical reasons. talented producers raised the
modern electronic recordings Entertainment. Licensed Sometimes a piece of music bar in terms of what I’d come to
I’ve selected, but this recording courtesy of Sony Music just fits, like a hand in a glove. expect from electronic music,
has a lightness of touch in the Entertainment UK Limited. It could be that it’s in the same with these elegantly interwoven
way that he plays – as well as key, or the same tempo or the textures and just the way they
the speed and pace – that, to As great as Miles Davis obviously same feel, or there could also be seemed to approach music-
me, at least, this fits perfectly was, this album, Sketches Of just that little bit of indefinable making. Even today I’m in awe.
among these contemporary Spain, is at least as much about magic to the recording that
mavens. Listening to it, you’re the great arranger who worked makes it just right. And so it is
left thinking: “Holy cow, what a with him: Gil Evans. Naturally, with Victor Silvester.
player!”. Miles plays great here, but the
contributions that Evans makes
to the overall recording are so
wonderful that I’m almost
inclined to think it should have
been a Gil Evans album featuring
Miles Davis. It’s an absolute
masterpiece, that’s for sure.

13. Rhythm & Sound. 14. Miles Davis. 15. Dinu Lipatti. 16. Colin Stetson.
Mango Drive Générique O Herr Bleibet Meine The Righteous Wrath
Written by Mark Ernestus & Written by Miles Davis. Freunde, BWV 147 Of An Honorable Man
Moritz von Oswald. Published by Published by Edition Written by Johann Sebastian Written by Colin Stetson.
BCP (UMP). p 2015 Basic Continentale. p 1958 Decca Bach. Published by Third Side Music.
Channel GmbH. Licensed Records France. Licensed Produced by Colin Stetson,
courtesy of Basic Channel. courtesy of Universal Music I love it when happy accidents Shahzad Ismaily, Vid Cousins &
Group Ltd. occur, it’s part of the alchemy Ben Frost. p 2011 Constellation.
Let’s face it, Rhythm & Sound of music making and discovery. Licensed courtesy of
are the most exciting German We’re back with Miles again. I found this version of what is Constellation.
contribution to dub. They’re I’m not making any apologies probably Bach´s most
just so brilliant at eking out for that, either. For me, this is recognisable song on an old There are few people working
compelling sounds from what definitely the most listenable vinyl album and I really wasn’t in music today who approach
seems like so little. It’s so and ageless of Miles’ records expecting much, until I put the their instrument in the way that
deceptive. If someone put my and probably my favourite jazz needle on the groove. Now… Colin Stetson does. He plays the
arm behind my back and forced tune. It’s such an iconic period it almost makes me cry each saxophone like nobody else and
me to pick one, I’d say this is my for him, when jazz came time I listen to it and I don’t think somehow transcends what is
favourite track of theirs: it’s a together with the French there’s another recording that possible on that instrument.
piece of mighty minimal art. nouvelle vague and produced captures the beauty of the piece I feel like he and I are working
It’s just perfect. this soundtrack album. Louis quite like this one does. in similar directions on different
Malle, Kenny Clarke, Jeanne instruments, but what we
Moreau and Miles - you can’t both have in common is a
go wrong. determination to try and push the
limit of our instrument as much as
possible. He always is a big
inspiration for me. Also make sure
that you see one of his shows, you
won’t believe how great he is.
17. Penguin Café 18. Nina Simone. 19. Nina Jurisch. 20. Dub Tractor.
Orchestra. Who Knows Where the Cleo The Cat Cirkel
Cutting Branches For Time Goes Recorded by Nils Frahm. Written by Anders Remmer.
A Temporary Shelter Written by Sandy Denny. p 2015 Nils Frahm. Published by Copyright Control.
Written by Jeffes. Published by Published by Irving Music Inc. Produced by Anders Remmer.
Editions Penguin Café Ltd. Produced by Andrew Stroud. Nina helped me finish this mix p 2004 City Centre Offices.
Produced by Simon Jeffes. p 2011 Sony Music by recording her beautiful cat Licensed courtesy of City Centre
Mixed by Colin Green. p 1981 Entertainment. Licensed Cleo who is a grande dame at Offices.
Virgin Records Ltd. Licensed courtesy of Sony Music 20 years of age. As you can
courtesy of Universal Music Entertainment UK Limited. hear she is very… tired. The same kind of era as some
Group Ltd. of the other electronic tracks
This song is just adorable, I’ve selected: early 2000s.
Is there another band quite like especially this live version, It sounds like a fantastic parallel
Penguin Cafe Orchestra? They which has this incredible universe, a band playing
must’ve travelled to a dreamlike introduction. The way she holds acoustic music but in the future
universe where they plucked herself and talks, you can hear or from a distant galaxy. I could
their ideas out of God’s clouds. what a truly special soul Nina never quite work out how they
This album was produced by Simone must have been. When did it. This was exactly what I
Brian Eno in the early 1980s and the guitar comes in and she was looking for from electronic
they sounded like no-one else. sings, it’s completely and music: something that confused
They were the first band that naturally her. She expresses so and challenged me. It’s a weird
I know of that sounded like an much freedom and confidence. track, but I’ve listened to it a
orchestra even though they It’s between everything: rock, thousand times to try and work
were acting like a rock´n´roll soul, pop, jazz. It’s not a genre, out how they did it. It’s one of
band. it’s just Nina´s music. the tunes that was key in
propelling me headlong into
trying to make better music.

21. The Gentlemen Losers. 22. Nils Frahm. 23. Cillian Murphy. Late Night Tales would like to thank
Honey Bunch Them (Solo Piano Edit) In The Morning Nils Frahm for such a unique take on
Written by Samu Kuukka & Ville Written and performed by Nils Written by Enda Walsh. our Late Night Tales concept, Felix
Kuukka. Published by Mute Frahm. Published by Manners p 2015 Night Time Stories Ltd. Grimm, Robert and Sofia at Erased
Song Ltd. Produced by Samu McDade Music Publishing Ltd. Tapes, cheekypaul, Bill Brewster,
Kuukka & Ville Kuukka. p 2009 Taken from “Music For The Tadas Svilanis, Dan at Tedra, Sam
City Centre Offices. Licensed Motion Picture Victoria”. p 2015 Chapman, Matt at The Reptile House,
courtesy of The Gentlemen Erased Tapes Records Ltd. Peter Ashworth, Edwin and all at
Losers. Nils Frahm appears courtesy N.E.W.S Belgium, Yugo and Shota
of Erased Tapes Records. and all at Beatink Japan, Jeffrey and
They’re most probably my Licensed courtesy of Erased all at Southbound, Tommy and all at
favourite discovery from the Tapes. www.erasedtapes.com. Love Da Records Hong Kong, Ben at
past couple of years. www.nilsfrahm.com. Echo Empire, Mark and all at Republic
It’s two brothers from Finland, Of Music, Pete Norman and all at Finyl
crafting some excellent music This is the main theme from my Tweek, Steve Owen and all at iTunes
out there. They make just first feature film score and it and last but not least all the labels that
excellent records. Buy them soundtracks the part where they license us their great music to
When I heard that Cillian was make these albums what they are.
and listen for yourself, it’s really finally kiss in the club… I soloed into my work, I was naturally
incredible music which will stay this piano part in the track, and very humbled. I cannot thank Cover Photography by Peter Ashworth
with you for a long time. listening to it on its own, I almost him enough to find some (ashworth-photos.com)
preferred it to the original precious time in order to read Nils Frahm photos by Alex Kozobolis
version, so I was pleased that this incredible short story for us. Design by The Reptile House
I had the chance to use this Thank you Cillian, I hope I can (thereptilehouse.net)
alternative version on my mix. return the favour one day! Mastering by cheekypaul
Nils Frahm appears courtesy of
So long, Erased Tapes Records.
Nils Frahm This Compilation p & c 2015
Night Time Stories Ltd
Jon Hopkins Franz Ferdinand Django Django Bonobo Röyksopp Friendly Fires Metronomy Automatic Soul
Mixed by Tom Findlay
from Groove Armada

Belle and Sebastian MGMT Trentemøller Midlake The Cinematic Orchestra Snow Patrol Arctic Monkeys Music For Pleasure
Volume 2 Mixed by Tom Findlay
from Groove Armada

Groove Armada Fatboy Slim Lindstrøm Nouvelle Vague Shrigley - Forced To Air Belle & Sebastian AfterDark : Nocturne
Speak To Others Mixed by Bill Brewster

The Flaming Lips Four Tet Turin Brakes Jamiroquai Sly & Robbie Nightmares On Wax Kid Loco AfterDark : Nightshift
Mixed by Bill Brewster

Tommy Guerrero Groove Armada Zero 7 Rae & Christian Howie B Fila Brazillia Rae & Christian AfterDark
Mercury Rising Mixed by Bill Brewster