Emil Friis & Patricio Fraile

Minor Music

Release Notes

Label: 130701
Release: The Expected Sounds Of Minor Music
Date: December 8th, 2023

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Following the 130701 imprint for over two decades has been a rewarding experience. After all, this is the same offshoot of FatCat that brought us the best of Max Richter, Hauschka, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and yes, even introduced the world to Sigur Rós. This is what a label does best – it puts a “label” on its output, essentially a stamp of approval, if you will, of what it is excited to support. And this is why I hungrily continue to consume pretty much everything in its catalogue, especially by artists previously unknown to me. [And, secretly, I hope that you can say the same about the purpose of this site]. Today, I’d like to share with you a track by the Danish composers Emil Friis and Patricio Fraile, who are best known for their film and television scores (again, mostly for the Danish audience). For their collaboration titled The Expected Sounds Of Minor Music, the duo composed eleven vignettes with minimal piano melodies supported by a string quartet and solo cello performed by Joe Zeitlin. “The album’s layered and intimate sound, along with its ability to encourage contemplation […] reflect the duality of life, encompassing both the major and minor moments.” This is a perfect soundtrack to wake up to and start a brand new day, bringing forth some optimism, serenity, and hope… even as it’s mostly based on minor keys.

Despite its relative small size in instrumentation, this might be our biggest sounding piece on the album. It bears resemblance to the album title in that it encompasses both the small and the big. The minor and major that is the human experience.

— Emil Friis and Patricio Fraile

Once again, the album is out tomorrow, December 8th, 2023, via FatCat’s 130701 imprint. You can pre-order your vinyl copy today, or opt for a digital version in WAV or FLAC (please don’t buy MP3s). You can also check out this album on Bandcamp.