At a time when all continues to be chaotic and unsettling very often around the world, composer Max Richter ’s work Sleep – an eight-hour, 24-minute ambient piece – is especially relevant for anyone who wants a very well thought out, intelligent lullaby.
Released in 2015, the German/British artist and his creative partner Yulia Mahr had a hefty undertaking with Sleep but it went on to sell over 100,000 copies and led to several overnight concerts around the globe, including South By South West in Austin, Texas in 2018. As it turns out, performing for eight hours to sync with a sleep cycle for an audience who are provided with beds is certainly demanding. The ideas and people behind Sleep are explored in a new documentary film by Natalie Johns, called Max Richter’s Sleep and currently streaming on MUBI.
While the film premiered on World Sleep Day on March 19th on the streaming platform, Richter has been performing this piece for a few years now. Over a video call with Rolling Stone India, the composer talks about the film as well as the music of Sleep, his more recent piece Voices and India. Excerpts:
How are the times treating you so far?
Well, it’s a weird time, isn’t it? It’s, uh, you know, we’ve all been basically sort of, you know, in our houses for a year more or less, one way and another. It’s obviously a time of great anxiety, and a time of great stress. But also, it feels like an opportunity to rethink the way we’ve been running our world, and an opportunity to reassess how we would like things to go forward. And I think that feels like a positive as well, if we take that take that chance.
This story is from the April 2021 edition of RollingStone India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2021 edition of RollingStone India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
anumitanadesan
The singer-songwriter talks about her first Malayalam film song, her upcoming debut abum and working across genres and languages
amrit ramneath
Understanding the interplay between abiding by tradition and progress is no new feat for this 25-year-old composer
yashraj
With chart-topping collaborations with seasoned veterans, this rapper has consistently been in the conversations of industry observers
dǝbzee
The 'Malabari Banger' hitmaker shares exclusive insights on his upcoming projects, life, and his vision for the future of music in India
taba chake
The Arunachal Pradesh-based singer-song-writer discusses how his latest song \"Kahani\" reflects the power of love songs.
ranj x clifr
The Bengaluru singer-composer and producer duo may not be done with hip-hop, but they are venturing into pop, R&B and Tamil songs next
RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF MUSIC
How digital collectibles, especially for live events, have a tremendous potential
Evnne On 'Un: Seen,' Their 'Seen,' And 'Unseen' Sides
The Band Discusses How A Setback Early In Their Career Spurred Them On And How They Fused Those Experiences With Their Sound In Their Second Mini Album, ‘Un: Seen
kayan
Between fandoms and aesthetic-setting live shows, artist Ambika Nayak talks about wanting to put out an album
anoushka maskey
Taking her “self-organized” Sunny Side Tour across the country, the Sikkim-origin artist is prioritizing consistent releases and exploring bossa nova next