Max Richter‘s In a Landscape invites listeners into an evocative world where serene soundscapes capture beauty and complexity. Blending acoustic and electronic elements, the album explores what Richter calls the reconciliation of polarities: “the electronics with the acoustic instruments, the natural world with the human world, and the big ideas of life with the personal and intimate.” In a Landscape harmonizes contrasting elements to achieve this reconciliation, finding a balance where discord might otherwise prevail. Through a minimalist musical form, Richter creates an atmosphere that feels both vast and deeply personal, reflecting the dualities within ourselves and our relationship between humanity and nature.
In a Landscape reaffirms Richter’s ability to craft lush, ambient soundscapes that feel cinematic yet are musically minimalist. Instrumentally, the record features a string quintet, piano, Hammond organ, and Minimoog. The opener, “They Will Shade Us With Our Wings”, is built on a slowly evolving chord progression that creates a meditative exploration of place. The sweeping strings add tension, contrasting with the sense of comfort the track’s title evokes. The result is a piece that balances tranquility and unease, preparing listeners for the album’s overarching objective.
In a Landscape exemplifies the reconciliation of polarities by reflecting nature’s intricate balance. Throughout, Max Richter parallels his music with the natural world. For example, tracks like “A Colour Field (Holocene)” and “And Some Will Fall” use minimalist structures to immerse the listener in an environment that captivates and commands full attention. Within this foundation, Richter guides listeners into a deeper understanding of the composition, gradually introducing recurring motifs that convey a dynamic sense of stasis and movement. Much like the natural world, which often appears simple and static, closer examination reveals fluctuating organisms and ecosystems. “Holocene“, the current geological epoch, symbolizes the present moment, further directing listeners’ focus. Here, Richter urges full engagement with the music and our geological context.
Yet human influence often interrupts mindful focus, obscuring the beauty found in nature, music, and ourselves. In a Landscape thoughtfully incorporates nine “Life Studies”, brief ambient interludes created with tape delays, vocoders, and reverbs. While the pieces disrupt the album’s musical flow momentarily, these segments offer a compelling contrast, re-illustrating Max Richter’s subject. These ambient sections highlight the juxtaposition of organic and synthetic sounds while also deliberately challenging the listener’s experience. The “Life Studies” are integral to the musical whole of In a Landscape. By weaving together these opposing elements, Richter creates a dynamic tension that underscores his central theme: the disconnection of, but also the capacity to fuse, the natural world with human-made influence.
Through this lens, compositions like “A Time Mirror (Biophony)” and “The Poetry of Earth (Geophony)” draw influence from soundscape ecology, where sounds mirror the mutability of ecosystems. For instance, “The Poetry of Earth (Geophony)” employs rich strings that transition from strength to calmness, embodying the fluidity of the natural world. “A Time Mirror (Biophony)” reflects on time and the cycles of life, emphasizing the fleeting nature of existence and the interconnectedness of all living things. Notably, the absence of human influence in these pieces accentuates the purity of nature, inviting listeners to reflect on their connections to the environment rather than their impact.
“Movement, Before All Flowers” furthers Max Richter’s contemplation of the impermanence inherent in natural beauty and human experience. The piece features strings and piano, creating a serene yet dynamic atmosphere that evokes gentle movement. That is reminiscent of flowers rooting and growing—evidence of life even ‘before all flowers’ bloom. Once again, repetition and variation emphasize transformation while creating space for the listener to reflect on growth, change, and temporality. “Movement, Before All Flowers” serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty found in transitional moments.
While the record is undeniably beautiful, there are instances where the repetition feels overly familiar, particularly for those acquainted with Richter’s previous works. That is intentional, as Richter noted, “This is a dynamic I started to explore in my 2004 record The Blue Notebooks, and the new project shares many of that album’s concerns; in a way, this record is another look at the themes of the earlier work, but from the perspective of our world and our lives in 2024.”
However, certain tracks, like “Late and Soon”, echo previously developed motifs without offering innovation. Even “They Will Shade Us With Our Wings” opens a pathway reminiscent of Richter’s renowned Sleep. Though the individual tracks support the record’s theme, these moments are reiterative and present what is expected from Richter’s music rather than reimagined explorations. This will feel like a revelation for newcomers to Max Richter’s oeuvre, but for long-time fans, it lacks novelty.