With his third studio album, ‘Phraxia’, Nick Pike offers us a tranquil world of solo piano and piano-led synth compositions. Previously known for his neoclassical and ambient work on ‘Norastoria’ and ‘Evergreen’, Pike finds a soothing middle ground for subtle electronics and piano textures on ‘Phraxia’. There’s an effortless quality to the record, both in terms of how the music is crafted and its candid, almost nonchalant attitude. ‘Phraxia’ is an album that doesn’t try to be anything it’s not, and its tranquil nonchalance is part of its charm. “Whispertide” opens the album with notes floating atop a misty carpet of synths. The track gets busier as it progresses, but never for the sake of being busier. “Abaluna” is, in some ways, the softer sibling of “Whispertide”. It doesn’t swell quite as much, and its hold on you is one of quiet suspension, like a moment you want to last all day. “Phraxia” is a little more expansive, more cinematic, but never overstuffed or overwrought.
“Aroha” is a serene track that’s airy, and it almost feels like fresh air following a long bout of reflection. “Deepward Glow” is a more enveloping, more brooding track and it finds Nick Pike’s compositions at their most immersive, contemplative, and, yes, glacial. “Für Beethoven” is the sound of familiar territory both honored and remade. Pike’s playing, his experimentations with harmony and structure, are still in conversation with its namesake. He’s not simply rewriting the Beethoven piece, he’s building from it. “Vangise (Water Lullaby)” is as soothing as its title suggests as it’s liquid in motion. “Mareel” and “Minavra” offer the second half of the record a touch of sparkle, but the tracks are of a piece with their predecessors, differing in mood just enough to keep things interesting. “Maramor”, a patient and poised closer, lingers in the mind and leaves you satisfied, calm, and confident in the work completed.
For me, that sense of effortlessness is what makes ‘Phraxia’ stand out. Nick Pike makes music that knows exactly what it wants to be without trying to hard. It’s genuine, unguarded, and sincere in its simplicity. If you like your modern piano a little bit on the mellow side, whether that means Einaudi or Nils Frahm or somewhere in between, ‘Phraxia’ is an album that deserves a place on your playlist. It’s the kind of record you can put on in the background while working or studying, or else it’s the kind of album you can give a few patient listens and never stop finding life in.
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