en by Etienne Nillesen

SOFA is thrilled to present the beautiful music of the Dutch snare drum player Etienne Nillesen with his new album “en.” With a snare drum only, Etienne explores simplicity of setup, movements, and material, developing music that is full of complexity and depth.

Etienne’s technique is highly original, involving the use of a thin drum stick against the surface of a granular drum skin, which produces sustained pitches and harmonic layers. The product of his own groundbreaking research into the snare drum’s sounding possibilities, “en” demonstrates both patience and virtuosity, tied together by slow melodies and harmonies. A profound and idiosyncratic sound world awaits the listener.
The recording was made in a single take without any overdubs or electronics, perfectly captured by the engineers at Chamber Music Hall Deutschlandfunk.

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