Nils Frahm (born 20 September 1982) is a German musician, composer, and producer based in Berlin. He is known for combining classical and electronic music, and for an unconventional approach to the piano, in which he mixes a grand piano, upright piano, Roland Juno-60, Rhodes piano, drum machine, and Moog Taurus without using any loops.
As well as his solo work, Frahm has released collaborations with such notable performers as Anne Müller, Ólafur Arnalds, and F. S. Blumm.
Frahm had an early introduction to music. His father, Klaus Frahm, was a photographer who also designed covers for ECM Records. He grew up near Hamburg, where he learned the styles of the classical pianists as well as contemporary composers.
Frahm's earlier solo piano works Wintermusik (2009) and The Bells (2009) gained him attention, but it was his 2011 release Felt that was met with critical acclaim. It was his first studio album on Erased Tapes, which has been releasing his music since. The album was followed by the solo synthesiser EP Juno and by Screws (2012), recorded while Frahm was recovering from a thumb injury, and offered as a free download to fans on his birthday. His follow up to Juno, titled Juno Reworked (2013), featured guest reworks by Luke Abbott and Chris Clark.
Frahm's latest album, Spaces (2013), was made of live recordings from various venues spanning over two years.
In December 2013, Frahm released his first music book, Eins, published by Manners McDade.
In 2014, Frahm announced his new piano UNA CORDA, specially designed and made for him by David Kalvins. The piano weighs under 100 kg and has one string per key, rather than the commonly used three strings.
A condensed version of his single "More" was featured in the Assassin's Creed Unity unity gamescom trailer.
Albums
Streichelfisch (LP, Album) AtelierMusik AM001 2005
Library Tapes / Nils Frahm - Live At NBI (CDr, Ltd) Sonic Pieces sonicpieces 002 2008
Electric Piano (File, dig) AtelierMusik AMR006 2008
Wintermusik - Sonic Pieces 2009
The Bells - Kning Disk 2009
Nils Frahm, Anne Müller - 7fingers - Not On Label 2009
F.S. Blumm & Nils Frahm - Music For Lovers Music Versus Time (CD, Album, Ltd) Sonic Pieces sonicpieces 008 2010
Felt - Erased Tapes Records 2011
Greg Haines, Piiptsjilling, Heather Broderick, Nils Frahm - Seeljocht (CD, Album, dig) Into The Great Wide Open none 2011
Peter Broderick And Machinefabriek With: Kleefstra*, Bakker*, Kleefstra* And Nils Frahm - Mort Aux Vaches (CD, Ltd) Mort Aux Vaches MAV064 2011
Screws - Erased Tapes Records 2012
Nils Frahm's Music For The End Of The World (15xFile, MP3, 320) Not On Label (Nils Frahm Self-released) none 2012
F.S. Blumm & Nils Frahm - Music For Wobbling Music Versus Gravity (CD, Album, Ltd) Sonic Pieces sonicpieces 016 2013
Spaces - Erased Tapes Records 2013
Solo - Erased Tapes Records 2015
Singles & EPs
Library Tapes / Nils Frahm - Library Tapes / Nils Frahm (CDr, Mini, Ltd, Num, Promo) Sonic Pieces sonicpieces 001 2008
More Bells For You (2xFile, MP3, EP, 192) Not On Label (Nils Frahm Self Released) none 2009
Machinefabriek And Nils Frahm - Perform 'Dauw' (7", Ltd) Dekorder Dekorder 036 2009
Juno - Erased Tapes Records 2011
Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm - Stare - Erased Tapes Records 2012
Nils Frahm, Peter Broderick - Little Boy In A Space Suit (7", Ltd) Erased Tapes Records ERATP050 2013
Juno Reworked (12") Erased Tapes Records ERATP049LP 2013
Compilations
F.S. Blumm & Nils Frahm - Music For Lovers Music Versus Time / Music For Wobbling Music Versus Gravity - Sonic Pieces 2013
DJ Mixes
Plagiat (File, MP3, Mixed, 320) Headphone Commute HCM070 2012
Miscellaneous
My First EP (File, AAC) AtelierMusik AMR004 2008
Record Release Concert "The Bells" (File, MP3, 320) Play My Tape PMT#64 2009
Unter | Über - Brian Records 2010
Hauschka & Stefan Schneider, Nils Frahm, Jóhann Jóhannsson - Explorer's Club: 7. Belfast- Reykjavik (3xFile, MP3, 320) Loaf LOAF36D7 2010
Dauw (CDr, B/card) Not On Label (Machinefabriek Self-released) none 2010
Felt (Outtakes) (2xFile, MP3, 320) Erased Tapes Records none 2011
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