Dusseldorf-based Volker Bertelmann – aka Hauschka – is somewhat of a clever swine. Not content with the gushing plaudits and rounds of golf claps for his previous ‘prepared piano’ offerings – Room To Expand and Ferndorf – Bertelmann has taken the onus upon himself to look beyond his established niche and with Foreign Landscapes expands his horizons by writing music for strings, clarinets and trombones, and inevitably, an entire score of orchestral goodness.

The music on Foreign Landscapes plays out like a snapshot of locations, comprised from Bertelmann’s travels and continuous touring throughout the world. Luring the listener in with the sprightly elegance of ‘Alexanderplatz’ – named after the famous square with the iconic television tower in the former East Berlin – this composition does little to set the tone of the record. That’s not to say it’s not a lush piece of musical mastery, indeed it is, a mélange of melodies gracefully delivered through intricate and interweaving strings and woodwind, the arrangement is direct and digestible and in turn, with the benefit of hindsight, is something of a false pretence.

Things get awfully intense pretty quickly on Foreign Landscapes, ‘Iron Shoes’, for example, a symbol of being unable to move, makes use of the same instrumentation as ‘Alexanderplatz’ – woodwind and strings – but in this instance they only serve to distress the listener, chirping and stabbing, Bertelmann’s intention no doubt, and the feeling of unease and insecurity, perhaps from being in a strange new place are purveyed successfully. However as it approaches the 5-minute mark of incessant nipping with no indication of a resolve, it feels more and more like it’s crumbling under it’s own weight, then it ends rather abruptly, in a fashion that feels like the journey just wasn’t worth it.

For all the beautiful moments on this record, and there are some really gorgeous moments, the sparse, minimal ‘Early in the Park’, and the creaking charm of Mount Hood are both subtle and evocative, it’s telling that that the piano is the central focus on these two tracks which suggests for all the grandiosity and skill of which Bertelmann’s impressive and expansive compositions possess, Hauschka still packs the most punch when kept simple and refined.