Fennesz – Mosaic – Album Review
by Killian Laher

While Christian Fennesz always appears to be working on/collaborating on something, this is his first solo album in five years. It’s billed as his most reflective album to date, which doesn’t necessarily equal ‘chillout’ territory. There’s still the usual level of noise and the odd bit of grit.

The opener Heliconia has broad, serene washes of sound initially, before retreating to a sparser, dark and brooding sound.  At more than nine minutes, it’s something of an epic.  The shimmering Love and the Framed Insects floats in, equal parts harsh edges and loveliness.  Everything is a little indistinct and a little ‘off’, building to a brief explosion of noise midway through.

Personare starts with rough-sounding keyboards, the aural equivalent of a machine pouring gravel onto a surface while there is a little Angelo Badalamenti-style spookiness in the background.  A Man Outside floats along, a vague, distant melody well hidden by growling keyboards.  Patterning Heart is a little more stately, almost classical, with the noise dialled down while it finishes with Goniorizon, which started out as six guitar riffs put together to make a kind of swirling, head-turning whole.

One of the more interesting composers making music today, this won’t disappoint anyone who likes the more challenging side of ambient.

https://fenneszreleases.bandcamp.com/album/mosaic