Short Reviews [Julian Martinez - 2022 - "Los Nocturnos"]

Also from 2022 is the other album by Julian, 'Los Nocturnos'. Nocturnes have been used by composers for centuries and is probably best described as "a short composition of a romantic nature, typically for piano", and what we have here is a collection of this style of pieces being played on unaccompanied piano. There is no studio trickery here, just a musician sat at the instrument and playing and the result is something which takes us back in time to a more peaceful and reflective age but also feels present and of the moment. In terms of modern recordings the closest I can get to is Rick Wakeman, but in many ways this feels as if it is coming to us from the Sixties when this style of music was still popular and easily obtainable. It is fresh and light, with the focus more on the music than just showing off and demonstrating technical skills. Music without emotion is a waste of notes, and here I can imagine Julian getting lost inside, almost becoming a voyeur of his own playing. I know it is something which Wakeman often reflects on, which is why he plays so much with his eyes closed as he is lost in the moment, and as a listener the same emotions are clear. It is an album which is to be listened to when one has the time to do just that, preferably on headphones, when one can relax into the performance and nothing else exists in the world. Just the use of pedals to provide depth and sustain, the result is something which is a delight from beginning to end.

Progtector: October 2025

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Julian Martinez