Tim Hecker – Shards – Album Review
by Killian Laher

Tim Hecker is one of the finest composers of ambient music.  After multiple albums, he is releasing a collection of pieces written for films and soundtracks.

First up is the haunting Heaven Will Come which builds gradually with high-pitched keyboards, adding low drones developing into something quite stirring.  The piano piece Morning is gradually overtaken by a growl of static, reminiscent of Fennesz.

There’s a good mixture of tracks here.  The foreboding Monotone 3 is almost freeform with minimal structure, while the doomy Sars Requiem is more classical like Max Richter.  After the soaring electronica of Joyride Alternate, Sunset Key Melt is the most fleshed-out track and is a bit like a synthesis of the preceding tracks.

The collection is definitely something of a grower, and after several listens hangs together pretty well as an album.  It’s not a bad place to start to investigate Tim Hecker.

Sunset Key Melt