Heinali-Air review

When opting for the free download from Endless Melancholy we featured the other day here, I discovered another artist that Endless Melancholy was recommending.  That artist goes by Heinali.  He is another Ukrainian multi-instrumentalist that is similar to Endless Melancholy.

Having listened to "Air" in its entirety, I can't help but be impressed.  Heinali offers up the same gloomy piano work, but backs it up with beautiful string sections and flourishes of harmonic ambiance.  The production on this album is impeccable.

Though this album includes only six tracks, it is remarkable.  Minimalist neoclassical composition teams up with downtrodden ambient moods seamlessly in this music.  One of the things that impresses me so much is that the ambiance in this disc is not overstated or saturating, nor is it so abstract that it is difficult to enjoy.  It isn't overtly distorted.  Also impressive is the fact that Heinali incorporates more traditional ambient soundscapes like sounds of nature, including-but not limited to-tidal roars.  Basic ambient drone matches up with cello so perfectly that one might think that the sound of both is one and the same.

Ukrainian artists have impressed the heck out of me lately.  Thanks, Endless Melancholy for pointing me toward Heinali.  "Air" is a peaceful and strangely uplifting listening experience that should receive plenty of play time in my ever-growing classical and ambient selection. 

Unlike the latest from Endless Melancholy, "Air" is not a free download, but it is more widely available, either through Amazon or iTunes. 

Check out the full album stream below.  I can't recommend any single track, as all of them are equally outstanding.  Thanks for listening and enjoy!

Free Downloads-Endless Melancholy

Neoclassicism is a sub genre of contemporary music that can evoke countless emotions and produce styles too numerous to quantify.  Since there is no such thing as bad classical music, how on earth can you go wrong with classical music that is offered for free?

Endless Melancholy, otherwise known as Oleksii Sakevych, records minimalist neoclassical piano music that borrows some low-key elements of ambient and rolls it together into one tight package.  This is gorgeous music to be sure.  Even more impressive is the fact that Sakevych is completely self-taught.  Hailing all the way from Kiev, Ukraine, his music is only readily available through his bandcamp page.

He is generous enough to offer all of his recordings as name-your-price downloads.  By listening to his heartfelt piano solos, it is apparent that Endless Melancholy is an artist who makes music solely for the love of music and with little regard for possible fame and wealth. 

All five of the pieces on his new self-released EP, aptly titled "Five Songs" are down tempo minimal piano pieces with light ambient reverb that both preserves melody and encourages contemplation.  Traversing from dark, sad melodies to more upbeat textures, this music manages to hit right where Endless Melancholy was aiming for.  Even if you are not a casual easy-listening and classical fan, you can't help but admire this man's unshakable grasp minimalist neoclassical composition. 

"Five Songs" is a wonderful EP that was recorded in one week.  You can listen to the entire EP below.  Should you feel compelled to download this EP and have the means to do so, please donate a couple of bucks.  Thanks for listening and enjoy!