In a whimsical tribute to the fact that contemporary pianos have 88 keys, it may cultivate a mild form of intrigue to learn that International Piano Day falls on the 88th day of each calendar year (a.k.a. March 29…uh, sometimes). The aim of this particularly marvelous day, which has been described by Randy Newman as the “fourth best day of the year behind the birth of my three children,” is not surprisingly to “…create a platform for [contemporary] piano-related projects.”
Indeed, it’s certainly no minor affair for acclaimed British composer Danny Mulhern, who recently released a beautiful piano-laden ballad titled “Set in Motion” just for the occasion. The track, which is a somber, contemplative tune, invokes a kind of melancholy reflection that’s typically reserved for those experiences deep within the silence of nature: “[It] engulfs the listener and carries them on a transcendent voyage to the remotest corners possible.”
In addition to being released in celebration of Piano Day, “Set in Motion” is actually also the first single off Mulhern’s soon-to-be-released EP Safe House, which is due out June 15 on 1631 Recordings.
If you’re a fan of Mulhern you’ll certainly remember the subtle beauty of his full-length debut Reflections on a Dead Sea, as well as 2017’s wonderful Metanoia, which was released May of last year and recorded with the same ensemble as the forthcoming album:
“I see Safe House very much as a companion piece to last year’s Metanoia,” Danny says, “…they were recorded at the same time over a few sessions with the same ensemble (the London Contemporary Orchestra), and [they] have a similar meditative, reflective quality. They are [also] both improvised and ‘composed’ elements to the pieces, which give the music an energy [and] belie its contemplative nature.”
Safe House will be available in digital, CD, and vinyl formats, and you can currently find it available for pre-order over at 1631.
Safe House tracklisting:
01. Perpetual Motion
02. Depth Perception
03. December
04. Weight of a Nation
05. Arrival
06. Safe House
07. Set in Motion
More about: Danny Mulhern
