The National’s guitarist Bryce Dessner has announced that he will release his new album Solos. A collection of instrumental works that he wrote for different musicians which features his compositions being played by artists like cellist Anatasia Kobekina, violinist Pekka Kuusisto, harpist Lavinia Meijer, violist Nadia Sirota and percussionist Colin Currie, with Dessner himself on guitar.

In anticipation for the new album, Dessner has shared the first single “Lullaby For Jacques Et Brune” which is a neo-romantic piece performed with French pianist Katia Labèque. Combining Labèque’s background in contemporary classical and minimal music, Dessner uses “Lullaby For Jacques Et Brune” to convey his love of classical instrumental music. “Lullaby Jacques Et Brune follows in the tradition of Debussy, Glass, Reich and Tchaikovsky. Imitating the solemn pace of a funeral, the track is a minor key with a slow tempo akin to the famed funeral marches of the latter composer during the Romantic era.

Dessner elaborates more on his approach to Solos in interview from Stereogum. In the article here is what Dessner says about the project, “Writing a solo piece for me is always a great a challenge and joy, as you have all the personality and talent plus the physicality and resonance of the solo instrument. These solo pieces for violin, viola, cello, percussion, guitar and piano represent many years of my compositional process.”

Solos – Tracklist:

1. Lullaby for Jacques Et Brune
2. Francis
3. Tuusula
4. Song for Octave
5. Tromp Miniature
6. Ornament and Crime I
7. Ornament and Crime II
8. Ornament and Crime III
9. A Good Person
10. On a Wire
11. Walls
12. Delphica I
13. Delphica II
14. Ornament III Piano
15. Song for Ainola

Photo credit: Kalyn Oyer