New Emika Single + Forthcoming Album announced

If there is one thing that can brighten up a bland January that seems to go on forever, it’s news of a new Emika record!

As fans will be aware, as well as electronic music, she also released an album called “Klavirni” (Piano) of piano solos in 2015. Her new album is a 2nd installment called “Klavirni Termna” (Dark Piano) and will be released on Feb 14th.

The lead single “Dilo 33” can be heard here. where you can also pre-order the album on CD or Limited Edition (500 copies) Vinyl.

I was lucky enough to receive access to a pre-release copy, and let’s just say by track 5 I’d already ordered it on Vinyl – it really is superb!

Here is the official announcement:

Following on from Emika’s first solo piano Klavirni in 2015, Klavirni Temna is her second installment of piano solos are a magical cluster of melodies, dreamy effects, obscure production mistakes with tape echo’s and other old analog gear. The pieces were recorded during the time she was pregnant with her first child Silvy, to whom she has dedicated this record ‘To Silvy who heard it first from the inside’. The collection of ‘Dilo’s’ which means moment in Czech, were recorded ‘in a state of ultra hyped up creativity combined with a massive fear about losing my identity or creativity as an artist once I would become a mother’ – says Emika about the album process. She goes onto say ‘I had this record on the shelf for a long time ready while I was nursing Silvy and one day I decided I better get back to finishing the production and listen to the vinyl test presses. At that moment Silvy came in from her nap and touched my tummy and said ‘mummy’, which freaked me out, as she seemed to associate these pieces and the piano sound with me. Music is a powerful and sometimes unexplainable force.’

Photo: Bet Orten

A truly personal affair and in keeping with the original style of the first Klavirni, all the Dilo’s were recorded improvisations by the composer on her home piano, this time in Berlin. Dilo 7 from the first album has been streamed more than 15 million times on Spotify and there will also be a ‘Red Edition’ repress of the album on vinyl.

Photo: Bet Orten

This release marks the 5 year anniversary of Emika Records, celebrating 5 years of independence since her days with Ninja Tune. This is also the final release in her Emika Records catalog before starting a new venture in 2020 with more details to follow later in the year. ‘Klavirni Temna’ which means dark piano in Czech, explores the relationship between dark and light, good and evil, death and rebirth.

Photo: Adam Krena