Brand new album from Hilgrove Kenrick

Hilgrove Kenrick is an accomplished Film, TV and games music composer, pianist and singer-songwriter. Coming from a diverse musical background that spans from his beginnings as a chorister in Birmingham to jazz gigs across the West Midlands, his journey has led him to Worcestershire, where he crafts music for various media platforms while exploring his passion for intimate solo piano compositions and Spatial Audio experimentation.

With a repertoire that boasts award-winning scores and global recognition, Kenrick’s musical talent shines across his decorated musical career. Over the last ten years, he’s shared his original sonic output with the world via several impressive releases since the 2014 song titled “Nidhoggr” with Christine Hals.

Since then he’s shared multiple scores, singles and records while collaborating with artists such as Richard Armstrong and Chloe May Evans. Now he brings us his latest release with his brand new full-length record titled Fragments: Part 1, the first instalment in his new series that promises to deliver intimate piano pieces, inviting listeners into the world of a solitary pianist.

The first in the series offers twelve new compositions starting the record off with “Fragments: No 1, Solitary,” where soft piano notes cast a stripped back arrangement of calm alternating notes and subtle rhythm. Developing with delicate top lines, this downtempo piece casts a dreamy soundscape of slowly swaying movement and soothing melodic writing, it’s the perfect composition to slip you into the ambient, trance-like state the record presents.

The second composition, “Transfer” continues with a minimal structure of warm chords and lightly playful lead lines that hover above to craft depth and stretch the piece into a beautifully flowing musical fabric that wraps around you. The aptly titled “Can We Dream?” takes hushed chords and moulds them into a gently repeated sequence of sustained tones that carry you into a reflective and tranquil place.

Full of graceful and memorable moments, while still tying every piece together to work as a successful unit in its entirety, other standout compositions include songs like “Solo” with its lullaby-esque quality of softly performed notes and intricate contrast between the bass notes and the airy leads. “Miasma” hosts smooth ebb and flow with the shifts in impact of the notes strikes presenting a light rise and fall of energy as the piece inhales and exhales to craft a truly intriguing piece of modern piano instrumental music.

The album closes with the lead single “Charlbury” which was featured on BBC Introducing with its elegant composition and breezy performance combining to create an immersive and engaging pice that captures the perfect balance between staccato rhythms and the flutter of lead lines. It’s a superb finale to an incredible album of modern piano composition that works just as well as a soundtrack to peaceful moments of your day as well as actively listening throughout.

Listen to Fragments: Part 1 below