Martin Kohlstedt: Kluft

German composer, pianist and record producer Martin Kohlstedt has been refining and focusing his unique soundscape since his initial solo release in 2012. He works with a modular approach, blending acoustic, upright piano with Fender Rhodes and a gallery of electronic keyboards, using improvisation to move between jazz and a range of avantgarde, ambient and cinematic styles.

Kohlstedt's modular composing technique means that a complete piece, or "module," does not exist; rather than having a definite form, it is never finished and changes constantly. The modules (all with three letter titles) act as a basic format and are often combined, evolving through improvisation into something new during intense live performances. You can watch his modular process in the YouTube below.

Kluft, which means "chasm" in German, had a long gestation, as Kohlstedt explains: "For three years, musical sketches, ideas, and above all questions have been simmering inside me. I don't think I've ever dug deeper or for longer to create new music. Unlike before, I didn't translate these impulses into sound right away. I went further, digging beneath the surface." The result is an entrancing mix of hypnotic sounds, rhythms and flashes of the type of anthemic crescendo that was the hallmark of bands such as Sigur Rós.

His compositional palette of electronics, classical and electronic textures has been deployed across a wide range of genres, including games, films, choirs, pop and audiobooks. His use of repetitive patterns is immediately to the fore in opening track "Con," as electronic sounds become a rhythm for his slowly unfolding, melancholy piano melody.

Rhythmic textures cycle through "Veu," building and subsiding around a piano motif to create a gentle and beautiful atmosphere. If there is a standout module, it is the cinematic "Rah." More up-tempo than the surrounding tracks, its rhythmic layered electronics create an ever-changing wall of sound around Kohlstedt's keyboard melody. Another highlight comes in "Son" with its gentle melody and surging repetitions of an ascending four-note motif.

Within his carefully constructed soundscape, Kohlstedt's fertile imagination generates considerable contrast; his skilled use of space is a feature of "Kid," while modern beats drive "Plu" forward with quiet urgency. Soaring keyboards drift through "Gli" and the danceable "Yor" uses lively, interlocking rhythms. Away from these moments of drama, isolated Rhodes notes and murmuring synthesizers create more reflective territory, touching on ambient and orchestral influences to complement his modal harmonies.

Throughout the album there are beautiful sections, sometimes contrasting with occasional undercurrents of foreboding. Kohlstedt's soundscape is intimate and hypnotic, constantly morphing and reshaping. Never predictable, he combines improvisation with emotional expression and masterful control of his musical craft.