Friday, February 21, 2014

Kaja Draksler: The Lives Of Many Others

Kaja Draksler (piano)
The Lives Of Many Others (Clean Feed; 2013)

Hauntingly beautiful. That's the best way to describe The Lives Of Many Others from Kaja Draksler. This solo piano session brilliantly showcases Draskler's avant garde spirit which was already apparently on previous releases. But here we get a more intimate yet dynamic perspective.

Over the first three pieces we experience a diversity of free form and expansive classical structures that are fun, exciting and challenging. This is highlighted in "Communication Entropy/Andromeda." where Draksler moves within different motifs and crafts a wonderful storyline for the listener.

The extended piece "Suite: Wronger:Eerier:Stronger Than (Just A Thought):I Recall," is improvisation with perfected and well balanced lines. Quiet movements draped in watersheds of rolling notes moving in one singular pattern leaving you gasping at her accuracy on the keys.

While "Delicious Irony" and "Army Of Drops" are reminiscent of Vijay Iyer or Jason Moran as contemporary comparisons--Draskler's intensity allows you to get lost in the melodic atmosphere more than the aforementioned musicians but with a little more irreverence and subtle humour.

Kaja Draksler is already a growing name within the European community but with The Lives Of Many Others you can see how this rich and expressive voice should have big impact everywhere else very soon.

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