ralph heidel: modern life

The great wealth of multifaceted skills is Ralph Heidel's core identity, evident in the attempt to classify his music into a genre. Drone jazz, organic glitch, neo-classical, jazztronica, all these terms apply when we read about his music. He began his career as a saxophonist and by now has also become a highly requested composer and arranger for a wide variety of productions. The 28-year-old musician was signed by Mathias Modica for the Kryptox label, while he was still studying at the Musikhochschule München. Heidel released his debut album Moments of Resonance (2019) with his eight-piece ensemble Homo Ludens, followed by his EP Relief (2021). This grandiose prelude received applause on an international level. From neo-classical and ambient artists like Carlos Cipa and Josin, to German Indie acts like Drangsal and All diese Gewalt, Ralph Heidel has been featured on many albums. His wide range of artistic ability and curiosity was also demonstrated by his collaboration with a big star of the German rap scene, Tarek. Ralph Heidel rearranged the album Golem for a chamber music ensemble. The Golem Sessions album then, was released in 2020. Thanks to Heidel's precise work, it has been proven that rap and a chamber music ensemble, ambient and trap can complement each other. Heidel's name became well-known within the scene which finally made him 2022 the musical director of Casper, one of the most famous rappers in Germany, and his band. The official tour will start in March 2022 under Ralph Heidel's leadership. However, Ralph Heidel's creative drive seems to be inexhaustible. Which now made him finish his new album Modern Life. Together with one of the currently most important indie and pop producers, Max Rieger, Heidel created his latest masterpiece. Modern Life is the further development of the compositional debut album Moments of Resonance and the predominantly electronic EP Relief. The piano and the string arrangements are back. He uses a vintage piano from the 1960s, which he recorded in his apartment in Berlin. Its distinctive character delivers an outstanding mood to the album. The result is an unmistakable sound that, in combination with his main instrument, the alto saxophone, bears Ralph Heidel's hallmark. As further components he uses small-scale, organic percussion, soft synthesizer surfaces, noisy loops and fragmented vocal samples. "Admiring" features Plateau Green. For fans of: Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Four Tet, Floating Points.