The first in a trilogy of releases all recorded during the same session, Sun Piano sees Laraaji return to his first instrument, the piano (obvs), learned as a child in the 50s, and somehow that sense of purity and simplicity is captured perfectly here. Unadorned, unpretentious, emotionally guided miniatures that hit like a spiritual balm. Ngl, i like wonky, odd, brutal, clever-clever music as much as the next person (probably more, tbqh), but there's a lot to be said for such direct, unfiltered expression, and especially here with how Laraaji seems to transport the listener back to more innocent times, replicating something like the wonder of those first interactions and connections with music. Considering this operating with that same degree of gentle profundity as Satie’s Gymnopédie. Found this quite moving today, drifting through the shop in the dead, still heat. Quality stuff from a master.
