As they say, better than mountains is only the mountain that you have not climbed yet. Amaury Faye, a promising pianist from France, reaches new heights in his 2023 album Arise. It is an instrumental suite inspired by mountains. Arise has a vast range to offer to its listeners, from quiet valleys to extreme peaks.

Arise showcases the multiple talents of Faye as a pianist and composer. This album can easily become a soundtrack to a film as all the pieces are undoubtedly cinematic and seem to have a story behind each of them. Faye creates contrasting textures and unfolds a full spectrum of expressiveness.

Some sections of the suite are full of a sense of nostalgia and longing, such as "Under the Ground (Part 1)." At the same time, Faye can be wild and adventurous, like in "Free Ride." He plays with a vast spectrum of textures: there are some groovy rhythmic patterns, like in "Stone Heart" and "Uprising;" some folk-like melodies, for instance, in "Blossom;" some gentle dancing vibes, such as in "Under the Ground (Part 2)." One can imagine sceneries to accompany the album: "La Meije" can evoke imagery of a mountainous valley in pastel tones, while the opening of "La Sambuy" reminds of a thunderstorm.

In Arise, Faye becomes more of a storyteller and creates a narrative that compels attention from the beginning to the end. Unafraid to blend different styles and genres, Faye brings together a more "classical" sound with the string quartet of