I first encountered Philipp Nespital, aka smalltape, in October 2023 supporting Bruce Soord. It was also the first time I had seen the use of looping machines that allow solo performers like Philipp to create a performance filled with multi-layered, complex arrangements and I was utterly entranced by what I heard and saw. After the gig, whilst the rest of the crowd queued to get Pineapple Thief and Bruce Soord merch signed by the great man, I had a brief chat with Philipp to pass on my congratulations, and gratitude, and to purchase the 2021 album The Hungry Heart from which most of his set that evening was taken.
Playing it loud on the nighttime drive home from London to ‘the North’ was truly memorable. His prowess during the show to re-create songs originally produced with a host of guest musicians, including orchestral strings and brass players, just under his own steam power, was remarkable and hearing them in their original form on CD was breathtaking.
So that was then, and I have been patiently waiting for the next instalment ever since. Now Tangram has reached its release date and I had the pleasure of this opportunity to get an early listen. As with any eagerly awaited new release there is a degree of trepidation as well as excitement. Whilst the evolution of smalltape continues in a rather secluded area of the prog-sphere the pressure for any artist to follow up a well-received album remains. This being progressive music, the hope is that the tone and feel of the music is recognisable, that the quality of the song-writing is there or thereabouts, but that also there is a ‘progression’ – some development of the sound or direction of the music that achieves new aural experiences.
This album most definitely ticks those boxes. It is a more melancholy and more introspective album and in comparison to The Hungry Heart it lacks some of the transparent accessibility that was found in the radio-friendly tunes One Day or Colors, and also, arguably, lacks the audacious ambition of the 21-minute epic Dissolution. The artistry on display in Tangram is more nuanced and more jazz-infused. It’s the same, but different and you may say that’s the perfect result.
The album title refers to the ancient Chinese puzzle of the same name, in which seven simple geometric shapes can be combined into countless complex figures. As Philipp describes it “The idea came to me while writing Tesselate. The song explores how the fragments of our life stories continuously rearrange themselves – like a mosaic, or a tangram. I liked the analogy to the album itself, which also consists of seven rather different pieces (including the three-part No Time) that ultimately come together as a cohesive whole.”
No Time (I), the opening track, is a puzzle in itself. Like all the best lyrics there is simplicity and ambiguity.
Passes by
When you’re not at my side
And all I do is waiting
And all I really think about…’
It’s very brief (47 second) introduction to a story where the ending is left hanging, and it’s not until track 4 that we get to No Time (II) that ‘you’ is confirmed as the missing obsession. Plaintive vocals echo out over a Richard Wright-inspired keyboard soundscape. We never do find out the reasons why the object of desire is ‘not at my side’ as the mini-suite is closed by an instrumental track, No Time (III). It’s up to the listener to fill in the gaps whilst smalltape meditates, on the keys again, with some laidback jazz that builds subtly towards a more optimistic-sounding, energetic drum and saxophone climax.
It’s fair to say that despite the admirable artistry on show this is a downbeat trilogy that Philipp has chosen to form the centrepiece of the album. When you also factor in track titles like Goodbye, Second Chance, and Gold Digger it’s pretty clear from where he is drawing his inspiration. There are redemptive, melodic moments as well, but this is primarily a contemplative exercise that relies more heavily on soundscapes and jazz-tinted phrasing. It almost goes without saying, these days, that it’s a sumptuous sounding album but the listener does really need to immerse his/herself in the experience to extract the full benefit from it.
Track two is Goodbye and the first half expresses the anguish of a goodbye that signals a separation. The mood is dark and a touch chaotic with Philipp drawing on his inner malevolent Mr Hyde to spit out the vocals. The second half, the calm after the storm, may upset a few listeners as the main theme re-purposes the gentle guitar motif from Dancing with the Moonlit Knight. To my ears it works just fine musically, after all it’s a timeless motif, but would a genuinely original theme be more appropriate? It’s for the listener to decide, I guess. A glorious electric guitar solo from Flavio De Giusti brings the track to a close. Putting the controversial ‘inspiration’ to one side, this is a track full of the sounds of smalltape and is a compelling listen as a result.
Second Chance is the most accessible track on the album and features a rocking guitar solo provided by Bruce Soord. The arrangements are straightforward and there is a more linear development to the melody, from the subdued introduction through to the solo and the expansive climax. Very satisfying.
After the interlude of No Time (II), follows Phoenix. The first verse ends with the line ‘pretend to have a better life without you’, signalling the embers of the ashes of the relationship. The atmospheric use of piano, saxophone and harmonised vocals is arranged beautifully to create a dreamy soundtrack as our sad and weary hero begins to accept his fate, closing with a re-visit of the earlier lyric ‘I try to have a better life without you’. This track is exceptionally well put together and an evocative piece of story-telling.
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene, the title of track 6, is the goddess and personification of the Moon. To be honest, I’m not sure whether that is significant, but musically, the track follows a familiar path, with a subdued first half built around an acoustic guitar theme that is developed this time into an unusual, wholly-satisfying, and raucous fusion-y section driven by rhythmic drum patterns, augmented by strings and synths, before retreating back to a reprise of the opening section.
No Time (III) and Gold Digger serve as instrumental and vocal interludes ahead of album closer Tessalate. Ideally, this would provide a much-needed lift in spirits, and a punchy finale to the album. Unfortunately, the rather uninspiring first half never quite catches alight and the second half suffers from a rather busy arrangement, where the light and dark elements that should be juxtaposed are actually intertwined, losing some of the emotional power that could have lifted the song.
The bonus tracks are firstly Behind the Glass, a sublime love song with Philipp singing along to just his acoustic guitar, to wonderful effect, and secondly, an extended version of Second Chance. The section edited out appears at the end of Bruce’s solo and, for me, the additional keys at this point provide a more exciting and satisfying climax to the song. That being the case, at least we do have both versions to compare and contrast.
The talent behind the artistry on show over the course of the album is undeniable, but Tangram does not quite shine with the same magic dust that took The Hungry Heart to another level. That’s not to say that this record is a disappointment. Far from it, a few of these tracks have buried themselves under my skin already and my emotional attachment to the record will undoubtedly improve with more familiarity and as I begin to listen for more my own enjoyment. It’s full of Philipp’s brand of ambitious stylised art-rock, studded with elements of progressive, electronic, ambient and jazz, and to my ears this marks out smalltape as something a bit special and very much worth supporting.
TRACK LISTING
01. No Time (I) (0:47)
02. Goodbye (8:09)
03. Second Chance (5:07)
04. No Time (II) (4:21)
05. Phoenix (5:22)
06. Selene (8:15)
07. No Time (III) (6:39)
08. Gold Digger (2:26)
09. Tesselate (9:36)
Total Time – 50:42
~ Bonus tracks: [Not available on CD or download versions]
10. Behind The Glass (3:16)
11. Second Chance (Ext. Version) (6:44)
MUSICIANS
Philipp Nespital – Vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Synths, Harmonium, Drums, Acoustic Guitars, Electric & Baritone Guitars, Bass Guitar (4), Percussion, Sound Design
Bruce Soord – Guitar Solo (3)
Flavio De Giusti – Guitars (1,5 & 7), Guitar Solo (2 & 9), Baritone Guitar (9)
Alexandra Praet – Bass Guitar (3 & 6), Backing Vocals (6)
Omri Abramov – Soprano Saxophone (2,5 & 7), Tenor Saxophone (2,7 & 9)
Leonhard Eisenach – Bass Guitar (5 & 7)
Valgeir Daði Einarsson – Bass Guitar (9)
Mark Kagan – Violins (6 & 9)
Anton Peisakhov – Cello (6 & 9)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: MidJune Records
Country of Origin: Germany
Date of Release: 7th November 2025
LINKS
Smalltape – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
