_in between (2018)

The images Kerim König paints, the material he weaves from piano, synthesizers, string arrangements, isolated voice snippets and sparse drum loops, are dense, warm, captivating, hardly trivial or clichéd. (PrettyInNoise)

Kerim König's second studio album, _in between, explores intermediate worlds. It delves into the silence that arises between notes, the tension between acoustics and electronics, and the genre boundaries between art music and popular music. König has created delicate, ethereal compositions for piano, string quintet, vocals, and electronics, which were recorded at Teldex Studio Berlin.

Inspired by contemporary musicians such as Ólafur Arnalds, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and Max Richter, Kerim König interweaves minimalist acoustics with electronic sounds – organically, sensually, and intimately. He achieves this through unusual arrangements: double bassist Jörg Potratz joins the Oriel Quartet. The quintet creates broad, symphonic soundscapes, while pianist Mayuko Miyata adds delicate, clear melodies that guide listeners through the landscape of acoustic and electronic sounds. Singer Teresa Bergman provides subtle accents with occasional vocals. The result is an album full of space and expanse, with compositions of great emotional immediacy and depth.