Inspired by one of Leonard Cohen’s most memorable lyrics (and one of my favourite), neoclassical composer Gifts From Crows, real name Richard Laurence, is back on the blog with another new piece. This time it’s the ambient and piano versions of his composition Fragments of Light.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Johanna Ronn

“There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in,” Leonard Cohen sings in Anthem, a track taken from his 1992 album The Future. Richard’s Fragments of Light ponders on the same idea. In this ambient version of the piece, percussive and electronic elements mingle with melancholic piano creating a rich and absorbing soundscape, while in the piano version, the melody comes sharply to the fore.

It’s the second release from Richard’s forthcoming album Etudes of The Crow, a collaborative project with Swedish photographer Johanna Ronn. Each track of the album has three versions: a solo piano performance, an orchestral arrangement and an ambient/electronic mix. You can give the ambient and piano versions of Fragments of Light a listen below.