For a beautifully haunting solo piano piece, look no further than Adele H’s new interpretation of Erik Satie’s classic “Gnossienne No. 1.”

Available through Buck Curran’s Obsolete Recordings this Friday, this digital single is a softly atmospheric stroll through gothic melancholia. Satie’s original piece was already known for being an experimental exercise in free form (which must have been extremely groundbreaking at its debut, in the late 1800’s), but Adele’s adaptation is especially loose and airy.

Adele’s hands grace over the keys of her instrument with gentle ease, allowing for the song to take on a real flighty, spectral-like quality (which is only enhanced by a subtle use of reverb). Due to its unconstrained structure and the artist’s fluid playing style, the song sounds as though it could trail off into a multitude of different directions at any given moment. This aspect helps to make the song feel unpredictable, and it quickly becomes a very demanding listen. It hooks you right away and holds your attention tightly until the final note.

This is a track fans of Jill Tracy’s piano works, Michael Logozar and of course Erik Satie himself need in their lives. Click here to get it this Bandcamp Friday (which is in two days, folks!)

-KH

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