Nils Frahm - Spaces
Critic Score
Based on 20 reviews
2013 Ratings: #16 / 1115
User Score
Based on 282 ratings
2013 Rank: #30
Liked by 27 people
November 18, 2013 / Release Date
LP / Format
Erased Tapes / Label
Nils Frahm / Composer
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CRITIC REVIEWS

90
Drowned in Sound

With Spaces he goes one further – successfully channelling the chills of an actual performance, and making a genuine connection with his listener even in recorded form.

90
Uncut
These 11 tracks, recorded at various locations, also confirm he's more than a neo-classical specialist.
90
Clash
After the delicate beauty of previous albums, this is the sound of an artist unleashed.
90
The Line of Best Fit
There is a vitality and clarity of spirit present here that is at once immediate, intimate and irresistible.
90
Resident Advisor

These very much sound like live performances, and they're all the better for it. Short of seeing him in concert, Spaces is as close as you'll get to hearing Frahm at his best.

90
FACT Magazine

That’s the achievement of Spaces: not simply to replicate the music of Frahm’s concerts, divine though it is, but to evoke the events’ communal intimacy.

90
PopMatters

If, by chance, Spaces happens to be the very first record which you pick up by Nils Frahm, I must proclaim to be extremely jealous – you have a beautiful and highly rewarding journey ahead of you, my friend.

90
musicOMH

Spaces demonstrates a prodigious, world-class talent that shines through regardless of format or circumstance.

85
Under the Radar

The variety of Frahm's career is captured with selective care, but Spaces' true achievement is transcending the summary nature of live records.

80
AllMusic

While Frahm often embraces imperfections so that his music avoids becoming sterile and lifeless, his spontaneity is best captured in performance, making Spaces the ideal place to start with the prolific artist.

80
Exclaim!

Spaces is in turn haunting, energizing and overwhelmingly emotive, and a must-have for fans of the young German pianist, whether or not they've caught him live yet.

80
Mojo
It results in an intimate album shuddering in the blast of an icy onslaught of crisp, wintery piano.
80
God Is in the TV
Frahm has referred to this as a ‘collage of field recordings rather than a live album’ and each track does have an aura of its own, marking it out from all the others in its subtleties.
80
The Observer
Even when battering his piano strings with a toilet brush, Frahm creates something mesmerising.
80
The Arts Desk
Captures a power his previous releases haven't.
80
The Irish Times
Occasionally imperfect but intrinsically honest.
78
Pitchfork

On Spaces there's a power that Frahm hasn't always been able to capture in his recorded work. But the overriding feel is one of joy at listening to a performer demonstrating the infinite elasticity of sound.

75
XLR8R

In the end, Spaces is still a wonderful document of the powerful force that Nils Frahm is as a performer. At the same time, the album in some ways seems like a missed opportunity.

70
The Needle Drop
Nils Frahm's latest album showcases a series of live performances, pushing a lot of previously written material to the limit with longer song lengths and intense playing.
ZeroTaste
83

Good.

MusicSucks
84

Spaces is an album that I've recently been listening on different settings and I'm enjoying all of them.
From sad walks in the city, to lying in bed about to fall asleep, to making this dumb presentation about this dumb theme, to maybe just casually listening whenever I have the time. And it always makes the situation slightly better.
This is a project by a very talented man that can create truly spacious soundscapes with his keyboard. It's simple, and simple can be good. But it's not so ... read more

Houdanny
77

Frahm’s set of live recordings “Spaces” is a beautiful ambient/electronic project with the usual classical embellishments laced in as well. I’ve been impressed with everything I’ve heard from this guy, however I’m yet to find that wow moment with a project of his.

Standout: For-Peter-Toilet Brushes-More
Favs: Familiar, Hammers, Said and Done, Unter-Tristana-Ambre, Says
Least fav: Ross’s Harmonium

liminal_raptor
93

I'm so happy I randomly decided to check this out. I was looking for some ambient ECM jazz as background music to catch up with some reading, and I've seen the high ratings, so I gave this a try.

Spaces is a collection of live performances carefully stitched together by German composer and producer, Nils Frahm. Most of the tracks are beautifully composed neoclassical piano pieces with a jazzy flair. Said and Done is a ten-minute adventure, with a constant staccato keeping a demanding rythm. In ... read more

AirRaidz
90

Conceptually this album is phenomenal. The detailed attention given to the creative development from start to finish has soared a unique hand picked sequence of recorded live shows around the world. The synthesis of classical piano tones and electronic medians left no stylistic choice un-used. A deep exploration of soulful sound, allowed to breathe in intricate hypnotic and progressive formats that yield profound emotions... "Says" being the most climatic.

masil
85

Nils Frahm's live selection, released in 2013. Out of 30 live performances in 2012 and 2013, 11 songs were selected with existing songs and 6 songs with unreleased songs. According to a brief introduction and greeting for his album, some of the live performances were recorded with old portable reel recorders and cassette tape decks, and he left a message that he hoped the album would be accepted as a field recording project rather than a normal live album, containing his favorite take among ... read more

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Added on: November 15, 2013