Closer by Tobias Preisig

As a Scotsman, I'm very familiar with the emotional heave of the bagpipes; their mourning wail can decisively wreck the coldest, meanest facade, curiously pinching a part of the human soul buried centuries deep. An obvious reference is Mull Of Kintyre by Wings with its joyfully devastating piped melody that provokes goosebumps every time. The slow tempo and sustained notes are the key takeaway here, an element which Swiss violinist Tobias Preisig judiciously employs on his new album.

Closer is the second part in a proposed trilogy of albums (following 2019's Diver) inspired by his life, friends and family: a self-portrait. Recorded at home, in a makeshift studio, spending time with his loved ones helped him produce music that's free of existential angst and the weight of introspection. It's fitting then that the bustle of daily life adds background texture to the nine tracks. The drawn out melody on Linien is a fine example, sweeping and weeping like the Virgin Suicides (by French popsters Air) but on Grace, while the pace is quicker (its circular violin motif is a lot like a traditional Scottish fiddle tune) it tugs at the heartstrings in the same way. Yes, this is music about love and satisfaction. The centrepiece of the album is Roamer, Preisig's own Mull of Kintyre, with a build and drop that perversely mimics the bagpipe drone and blast of the pipes, with a searing and memorable topline melody (happens just once too!).