Hauschka - Abandoned City (2014)

'Abandoned City' was recorded in Hauschka’s home studio in a burst of creative energy following the birth of his first son. 'With the exception of ‘Elizabeth Bay,’ which is based on a piece of music I wrote for a reinvention of Wagner’s Flying Dutchman, the music was composed and recorded in ten days. The compositions on 'Abandoned City' awaken the loneliness and unattainable romance of timeless, unfamiliar places, with cinematic melodies full of resonant overtones, bright cheerful keyboard patterns and dark percussive touches. The tracks all bear the names of actual vacant cities.

Hauschka chose 'Abandoned City' as the title of the album to convey the sense of hope and sadness that consumes him when he’s sitting alone at the keyboard. 'I was interested in finding a metaphor for the inner tension I feel when I’m composing music, a state of mind where I’m lonely and happy at the same time,' Hauschka explains. 'When I saw photos of abandoned cities, I felt it was perfect. People once lived there, but they left in a rush and now nature has taken over in a beautiful way, things are growing up from the sidewalk and the seasons are changing colors. The music is dark, but in a quiet, uplifting way. The piano is singing the melody but, because of the effects, you can’t hear it directly. It’s like the sound of a choir under the earth, something you feel without realizing it.'

Tracklist:

1. Elizabeth Bay (5:40)
2. Pripyat (7:20)
3. Thames Town (4:00)
4. Who Lived Here? (4:49)
5. Agdam (4:55)
6. Sanzhi Pod City (3:56)
7. Craco (3:31)
8. Bakerville (3:55)
9. Stromness (5:34)