Retreat

German neoclassical composer, pianist and producer Justus Rümenapp’s fine feeling for pop melodies, cultivated during his formative studies, shines through in this album of gentle solo piano miniatures. Each of its dozen tracks invites the listener to step back from the distractions of everyday life, to go on retreat deep into the mind’s quiet places. He manages to slip strong emotions into a generally meditative mix, strikingly so in “A Place Like Home” and in the aching nostalgia of “Somewhere Far Away”. Yet the overall effect is one of reassurance and optimism, qualities underpinned by the simple, stable harmonic language. Listen to “A Place of Happiness” or the pulse-slowing patterns of “Retreat” before taking a deeper dive into the tranquil streams of Rümenapp’s music.