Freya Arde is an award-winning composer, guitarist and music producer from Germany. She has scored a number of feature films such as My Extraordinary Summer with Tess and documentaries like The Hidden Life of Trees (Das geheime Leben der Bäume) in which she challenged the boundaries between classical music and sound design through the use of field recordings of animals and plants from the forest. One her first record as a solo artist, she puts the full range of here talents on display, not only as a composer & arranger, but also as an accomplished guitarist, producer, and performer.
Spirit Awake features five beautifully realized songs woven together into a warm melodic soundscape while Freya’s arrangements add just a touch of the cinematic, to create a welcome sense of immersion. Lucid guitar lines, ethereal vocals, and verdant electronics create a sense of halcyon calm and peaceful introspection with a melancholic undertow that surfaces on two of the tracks in the form of cello parts performed by Benar. It is all so easy on the ear and so soothing to the soul, it might be easy to overlook all the craft and nuance put into the creation of these sounds. If you are looking for a pleasant place to get lost in for just a little while, this record will do very nicely indeed.
Links: Bandcamp | Freya Arde
Spirit Awake was mastered by Chandra Fleig and features artwork by Bertrand Sallé. Also, a quick word of thanks to pianist and Moving Sounds (Soho Radio) host James Heather for this outstanding recommendation.
Stationary Travels 