Dropped Pianos

Dropped Pianos
A picture is pinned to a wall depicting a piano getting thrown off a roof. The artist's name and release's name is beside the picture.
EP by
Tim Hecker
ReleasedOctober 10, 2011 (2011-10-10)
Recorded2010
Studio
Genre
Length32:35
LabelKranky
Tim Hecker chronology
Ravedeath, 1972
(2011) 		Dropped Pianos
(2011) 		Instrumental Tourist
(2012)
Singles from Dropped Pianos
  1. "Sketch 5"
    Released: September 26, 2011

Dropped Pianos is an EP by Canadian electronic music musician Tim Hecker. It was released on October 10, 2011 on Kranky, and was a collection of demo recordings for Ravedeath, 1972, the album he released earlier that year. The EP received positive reviews from critics.

Recording and release

Dropped Pianos was recorded in early 2010 at recording studios Hotel2Tango and Studio Pentagram.[1] It released on October 10, 2011 through Kranky.[2] It was available as vinyl, a CD, and as a digital download.[3] The EP was a companion for Ravedeath, 1972, the album which Hecker released earlier on the year of the EP's release.[4] Before the EP, "Sketch 5" was released on September 26 as a single on SoundCloud.[5]

Composition and titling

The EP is composed of demo recordings made in preparation for Ravedeath, 1972.[6][3] It was solely made with a piano and a delay pedal.[7][8] The release has been described as ambient[7] and experimental.[6]

The tracks on the EP are titled with "Sketch" and a number following it.[9] According to a writer for Tiny Mix Tapes, the title of Dropped Pianos is in reference on how the pianos on the EP were changed to church organs on Ravedeath, 1972.[9]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute78%[8]
Pitchfork7.8/10[6]
Sputnikmusic4/5[7]
Tiny Mix Tapes[9]

Dropped Pianos received positive reviews from critics. Writing for Beats Per Minute, Colin Joyce said that the tracks were "fully formed and ready to be consumed on their own merit" for a demo.[8] Marc Masters for Pitchfork said that the EP was darker in tone than Ravedeath, 1972, and that it "[showed] how small ideas can lead to greater ones".[6] A writer for Sputnikmusic said that it was a "shockingly solid work that separates itself from [Ravedeath, 1972]", while also lacking consistency.[7] James Parker of Tiny Mix Tapes said that it was "minimal", but "deserves not to be reduced to 'mere' ambience".[9]

Track listing

Dropped Pianos track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Sketch 1"7:09
2."Sketch 2"3:57
3."Sketch 3"1:20
4."Sketch 4"2:56
5."Sketch 5"4:58
6."Sketch 6"1:24
7."Sketch 7"3:26
8."Sketch 8"1:43
9."Sketch 9"5:32
Total length:32:25

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[1]

  • Radwan Moumneh – recording assistant
  • Steve Bates – recording assistant
  • Mell Dettmer – masterer
  • David Nakamoto – artwork

References

  1. ^ a b Hecker, Tim (October 10, 2011). Dropped Pianos (CD liner notes). Kranky. krank161.
  2. ^ Lynch, Will (September 26, 2011). "Tim Hecker unveils Dropped Pianos". Resident Advisor. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Hughes, Josiah (September 26, 2011). "Tim Hecker Compiles Song Sketches on 'Dropped Pianos' LP". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  4. ^ "Tim Hecker, "Dropped Pianos"". Brainwashed. October 23, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  5. ^ "Tim Hecker 'Sketch 5'". SoundCloud. September 26, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d Masters, Marc (October 10, 2011). "Tim Hecker: Dropped Pianos". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Xenophanes (October 10, 2011). "Tim Hecker - Dropped Pianos". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Joyce, Colin (October 25, 2011). "Album Review: Tim Hecker – Dropped Pianos". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d Parker, James (n.d.). "Tim Hecker - Dropped Pianos". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.