Small Fires by Needleleaf

‘Small Fires’ is the first album of piano miniatures by Needleleaf (aka Thom Carter). The bandname is taken from a type of forest.

Influenced by the compositions of early 20th century masters such as Erik Satie and Debussy, as well as John Cage, Howard Skempton and Keith Kennif, the pieces were composed and recorded in the Autumn of 2010.

The brittle, intimate, close-mic'ed sound that dominates the recording, rarely lifting above pianissimo, captures every detail of the piano-playing and the use of the inner-harmonics of the instrument as unplayed strings in the upper registers which ring open in sympathetic vibration to the struck notes.

Ghostly, intimate, and melancholic, this is music full of strangeness, reflection and subtlety.

Strange and sensual piano music for the soul.

Tumblr