Nils Frahm is an excellent choice to bring a classical spin to the Late Night Tales series, though in the course of his mix Frahm shows a full awareness not just of this form of music but of jazz, dub and electro. A lot of his music using the piano is suitable for the small hours, so it makes sense the German should know what constitutes an effective compilation for that time. On occasion I felt like Jack Nicholson walking through the Timberline Lodge in The Shining, having one of his musical illusions – nowhere more so than when the eerie 5 came on. But then there is Vladimir Horowitz’s charming account of ‘The Flight of the Bumblebee’ and two choice Miles Davis elaborations on classical music, both of which work really well. Throw in some Four Tet, Boards of Canada, Rhythm & Sound and Nina Simone and you have a late night mix to both charm and educate.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
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