Classical/Review Dan Becker - Abject

Dan Becker's first exposure to piano was lessons for a school year around the age of 11. Then he became a rebellious teenager and took up guitar and cigarettes, thought himself a badass, and joined a rock band. Around the age of 17, he came back to his roots and started dabbling on the piano again. It's always been a true passion of his, and it's the only passion that has never left him.

"Abject," Dan Becker's most recent album, is an very intimate and emotionally charged examination of the human experience in the face of hardship. The album explores themes of rage, regret, melancholy, and finally redemption. It was born out of a turbulent time characterized by severe loss and misery. Becker creates an eerie and captivating story that enthralls listeners from beginning to end with a series of solo instrumental piano works.

Becker uses harsh and eerie melodies to expose his genuine feelings, setting the tone for the album's opening moments of dread and anxiety. Every song transports the listener to a realm of contemplation and meditation, developing like a chapter in a sinister tale. From the eerie beauty to the brooding intensity, Becker deftly and sensitively plumbs the depths of human emotion.

A sense of catharsis and redemption is central to "Abject," as Becker faces his inner demons with unwavering honesty and sincerity. He transforms his suffering into a very personal and widely relatable form of artistic expression through his poignant piano compositions. By doing this, he reminds listeners that even at our darkest hours, there is always a way ahead and provides a ray of light amidst the gloom.

Becker's virtuoso piano playing is captivating throughout the record, demonstrating both his technical mastery and emotional range as a performer. It is hard to ignore the sense of urgency and intensity that each note exudes since it is full with meaning and intention.

Finally, "Abject" is proof of the ability of music to raise, inspire, and heal. Dan Becker enables listeners to go on a profoundly moving journey of darkness and salvation through his intensely personal and emotionally charged works. "Abject" is a tribute to the tenacity of the human spirit and the eternal power of hope, with its eerie melodies, stirring themes, and virtuoso piano playing.