Max Richter - Infra

Instrumental pieces are often good, rarely great. The abstract musical vocabulary, conveying feelings without lyrical assistance, requires a delicate touch and ambitious execution. Max Richter does not make background music. All four of his previous albums command your attention and ‘Infra’, expanded from the soundtrack to a 2008 ballet of the same name, is no different. At times agitated and claustrophobic, at others mournful and emotive, this album needs time to breathe. While the pace hardly fluctuates wildly, the constant twists and turns create an emotional collage that’s stunning: expect to be left contemplative and euphoric in equal measure.

8/10

Words by Gareth James