Figuren

Raphael Loher takes a boldly exploratory turn on Figuren, an album shaped by process, intuition and close listening. By stepping back from the piano as his main instrument, the Swiss pianist and composer opens up a wider sonic world while keeping his voice clear and personal.

The record grows from ten intimate concert recordings made for Keemuun, his debut for Three:four Records, performed in his studio during the pandemic for one or two listeners. Later, in the Blenio Valley, Loher pulled apart melodies, isolated tones and resonances, and rebuilt them into new forms.

Those sessions produced around 30 pieces and also fed into Hug of Gravity, released by Hallow Ground in 2025. For Figuren, Loher pushed the material further through a Revox B77 tape machine, subtly shifting pitch before reshaping it again into precise, restrained compositions.