Harnes Kretzer - Petrichor

Harnes Kretzer is a huge supporter of the classical piano instrument and the electronic works that he can bend around the keys that push down beneath his finger tips. Rendering a neo-classical sound with ambient works, this German man crafted a neat little album in his own right.

Evolved and Ephemeral both start off the album with grace, mainly focusing on the piano and the sounds that come from it. Perhaps a bit boring to some, it's tracks such as Diaphanous that really start to kick in a more unique tongue. Electronic chime play out in a glitchy tone, starting and then cutting out just as they see the light of day. Dreamy, but also lively, the song was meant to relax,

A taste of ambient sound with Petrichor came into play under the keys that struck, utilizing a bit of enhancement along the way. Nice and notable. Ripple had a slight backdrop to it, whereas Desultory continued on with that backdrop, only heavier with organ notes playing.

Damped was a well written piece, hardly playing off anything but piano work; fantastic and brilliant, pacifying and peaceful, this was a song to remember. Evanescent took on a bit of an odd factor, sounding as if the music was reversed just as in a horror movie for that creepy effect. Off sounding, but neat.

Bitterness had a nice sound to it, perhaps a bit muddy and hard to really get a hold on, thankfully, the next song after that returned with more crisp piano work in Onomatopoeia. Well done track to say the least, ranking high with Damped.

The last and final song Hidden Track, was a bit boring as it really just consisted of the sounds of nature and kids playing in a park nearby. Ambient music came by later in the song, but wasn't anything spectacular.

Now, what this man has going for him is his use of the piano; not the most complex pieces you'll ever see or hear, but they're very well done. What needs to happen is more of a merge between his piano work and the ambience that he plays with; right now, they both seem to be doing their own thing, not really working well with one another. It's almost like a fight. If more was balanced and tightly fit together, a perfect and blissful harmony would work its way out of this album and even future works. Jul 18 2014