The depths and dark passage ways of musical genius that this album took me on was some of the most profound I have felt for ages, especially in the solo piano genre. Today I visited a collection of supremely moody and influential songs called Solo Piano II by pianist Aura Noctis, and it left me enthralled and musically fulfilled, in a way that only recently a Tim Burton movie could have done.

The album is packed with mysterious refrains of passion and power, and the opening piece stands tall among them and called Behind the Mask, the presentation was dark, deep and brought memories of a certain Phantom of the Opera, this shadowy composition is a great lead into piece, moving into the more light-hearted tones of the short form narrative of Nana, and the sensitive timbre of fascinating tracks like the following piece called Amnis, a pause for thought can be found within the dimension of this track, and a delightful change of tempo too, in a creation that is film score standard like the opening arrangement.

There is no doubt that the artist has manifested something here that is deeply compelling, and one has to say that listening to this album has been like a breath of fresh air for me, especially coming from a genre that is vastly over populated like Solo Piano. The windows to a fresh approach are pushed further open when the listener arrives at the track El Cantar de las Hojas, (which I think in English is the song of leaves) this crisp and pronounced manifestation blows in the vibrational pathways like autumn trees in late October, still offering much, but in a state of gentle change.

Short form styled compositions can also be found here, ones that are well worth delving into, like the fluent charm of tracks like Primer Viaje, before we make our move back into the musical voyage of plenty and we can do this through the medium of this next heart felt composition entitled Desde el Silencio, (from the silence) for me personally this is a track that I was invested in emotionally, the trickle down passage, the deep waters of a minor construction, compiled for me an arrangement that was just truly moving and sublime, playing with both shadow and light the pianist pulls off in my view the best performance from the album.

La Danza del Duende is the next way marker in the album, and this fast moving piece is a reminder of our solo piano voyage, the sheer intensity of this offering is formidable and flourishing, but that could be said for this entire release, that prevailing strength is quietened beautifully with another one of my personal favourite tracks from the album in Let Go, one can feel a sense of release from within the performance that is so very palpable, and also cathartic in its energies and tones as well.

It is true that any sensible listener who takes some time with this album will be truly moved by it, the release is rounded off with stunning precision by the concluding musical narrative entitled Renacer. This is a crafted finish, the presentation gifts us a moment of rebirth, re-found energy, and then an ever onward progression to more captured potency, and is one of the best closing pieces I have heard in this genre for simply years.

So there you go, what an amazing journey of solo piano, one of the most enjoyable I have had for eons, and as such I tip my hat to Solo Piano II by Aura Noctis, for me this album had it all, a stylish and confident performance with power and intensity, and balanced perfectly with subtle tender moments of musical clarity and emotive brilliance, as such this is an album that the solo piano genre has waited years for, and an early highlight for 2025, and one all lovers of this genre should embrace with haste.

Steve Sheppard, January 13, 2025