Nick Batterham delves into cinematic sound with new album ‘First Snow: Music for Piano and Strings’
Acclaimed Melbourne composer, musician, and sound designer Nick Batterham recently unveiled his latest classical album, “First Snow (Music For Piano And Strings),” a compilation of reflective instrumental pieces that mark a continuation of the emotional odyssey he embarked on through his successful collaborations with visual artist Rone.
Now accessible in vinyl, CD, and digital formats, the album ushers in a new phase of Batterham’s artistic evolution from an indie-rock guitarist to a composer of expansive cinematic compositions. The premiere concert for “First Snow” is set to take place at Tempo Rubato in Brunswick on November 10th, where Batterham’s creations will be brought to life in conjunction with selections from his impactful Rone soundtracks.
Accompanying the release is a freshly minted video for the album’s title track, helmed by filmmaker Ben Cunningham, renowned for his stunning nature cinematography. Describing the video as a “deliberate and introspective journey tracing the course of water from icy mountaintops to the vast ocean,” Batterham aims to convey a sense of a timeline beyond human perception and the interconnectivity of all facets of existence through this visual piece. This video joins earlier visuals for other tracks like “An Invitation” and “Spectrogram: I Undulations.”
Though Batterham now may be synonymous with his haunting string compositions, his foundations are deeply rooted in Melbourne’s indie-rock landscape. As a co-writer and guitarist for The Earthmen, he garnered an ARIA Award nomination in the 1990s, sharing stages with icons like Alanis Morissette, INXS, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Breeders. Subsequently, he lent his skills as a guitarist and producer to Cordrazine, making a noteworthy impact on Australia’s alternative music scene.
His solo ventures have been equally impactful, with a repertoire of seven albums including “Lovebirds” (2021) and “The Sentimentalist” (2024), both released under Cheersquad Records. Each project has served as a testament to his deepening understanding of melody and atmosphere, laying the groundwork for his pivot towards instrumental composition.
This transition truly came to fruition through his creative union with Rone, commencing with “Empire” (2019) and unfolding through subsequent projects like “Rone In Geelong” (2021) and “Time” (2022-23), a transformative installation at Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station’s ballroom that breathed life into the city’s historical memory. Batterham’s “Time” soundtrack became a sleeper hit, selling over 3,000 copies and drawing audiences exceeding 100,000.
Reflecting on this creative journey, Batterham expresses gratitude towards Rone for guiding him along this path, emphasizing how embedding his music within Rone’s visual narratives enabled a unique emotional connection with audiences. The underlying sadness and melancholy in his compositions were transformed into something beautiful and comforting for the listeners.
“First Snow” delves further into the realms of beauty and melancholy. Executed by a stellar ensemble comprising Zoë Black (violin), Christopher Moore (viola), Michelle Wood (cello), and Batterham on the piano, the album encapsulates the purity and serenity implied by its title. Enhanced by contributions from David Berlin, Tamara Murphy, Daniel Farrugia, Rhys Boak, Carlo Barbaro, and Daniel Beasy, the record expands its sonic palette with subtle hints of brass, reeds, and percussion.
In Batterham’s own words, the album began as a purely piano-driven endeavor but evolved to incorporate varied instrumentation, guided by his intuition towards fresh sounds and tonal textures. Synthesizers were seamlessly integrated to craft a warm and spacious sonic landscape for the solitary strings to glide above, resulting in a rich auditory experience.
Recorded and mixed over three years in Batterham’s Pascoe Vale South studio, “First Snow” bears the imprint of his musical expertise and his prowess as an award-winning film sound designer. His diverse portfolio includes notable works such as “Bromley: Light After Dark” (2023), “The Plains” (2022), “All This Mayhem” (2014), and “Lionel” (2009), which secured him an AFI nomination for Best Sound.
Above all, at its core, “First Snow” is an album that explores themes of emotion and rebirth – serving as a musical metaphor for starting afresh. Batterham articulates, “Reflecting on my musical journey, it’s apparent that my primary objective is to convey emotion – to express my own and aid others in articulating theirs. These compositions are methodical, cinematic, and open to personal interpretation. I hope that listeners can find their own stories within them.”