EMIL FRIIS
MOVING IMAGES
EMIL FRIIS
EMIL FRIIS
'Moving Images' is a testament to the human condition and things that bring us together as a species. This project is inspired by, and seeks to inspire, movements of the human spirit and the stories we share through music, words, art, and film.
An Upward Motion – Directed by Kevin Brooks
"Emil's piece of music truly inspired me to craft a visual narrative that explores the intricate relationship between dance, movement, and the natural world. What captivates me about dance is its ability to take you on a journey — each movement drawing you deeper into a story, one that mirrors the rhythms of nature itself. There’s an undeniable beauty in how the body expresses emotions and elements that we often associate with the world around us: the fluidity of water, the power of thunder, the grounding of earth. As the piece draws to its conclusion, there’s this profound moment where the dancer, in all their vulnerability and strength, seeks to be seen—not just as an artist, but as a living embodiment of all these forces, harmonising the raw beauty of humanity with the timeless beauty of nature." – Kevin Brooks
Five Corners Of Blue – Directed by Shaun Hart
“When I first heard “Five Corners of Blue,” I was taken by its ability to evoke complex, often contradictory emotions. The piece carries a somber weight, yet it brims with hope—a poignant duality that took me to a love story destined to fail despite our greatest hopes. That emotional resonance is what makes Emil’s music such a natural conduit for visual storytelling. The desert felt like the ideal backdrop for that blend of raw intensity and technical prowess, a landscape that mirrors the stark beauty and emotional depth I’ve come to admire in Emil.” – Shaun Hart
Serving as a meditation on the subtle forces that shape the human spirit, Moving Images invites the audience to explore the deep connections between sound and imagery – where boundaries blur between classical music, cinematic storytelling, and mental imagery.
Composed by Friis in his Copenhagen studio, the pieces were largely born out of improvisation, often starting at the piano or synthesizer. Through his typically minimalist approach, Friis weaves an intricate tapestry of textures and emotions to create a deeply layered, cinematic sound world spanning sombre chamber pieces, ominous yet hopeful and hypnotic ambiances, soft solo piano interludes, poetic and playful flutes, to tension-laced cinematic strings and synths.
Featuring contributions from other musicians, notably renowned string player Davide Rossi, the music is characterized by a delicate interplay between brightness and a somber beauty, with melodies that often seem to converse with each other across the different instruments. At times, the pieces feel lonely and introspective; at others, they soar to magnificent heights, filled with warmth and fervor. Despite their brevity, the compositions resonate with a poignant emotional intensity.
The project expands into a collaboration with a group of filmmakers exploring how music and film intertwine to provoke our internal narratives through what we see and what we hear. Each filmmaker (including Kevin Brooks, Shaun Hart, Morgan Jon Fox, and Jonathan Meyers) was invited to freely interpret a track of their choosing from the album through their own lenses to create a dialogue between sound and vision,. The audience is encouraged to consider how, and why, their own internal imagery is shaped by the music, whilst inadvertently forging a personal connection to each piece.
In the lead-up to the album’s official release, four films will be released alongside the tracks, with the remaining films debuting intermittently after the album’s launch.
Accompanying the music, the album’s artwork and the visuals for the individual singles feature illustrations by Friis’ wife, Julie de Tengnagel, adding a personal and evocative touch to the visual aspect of the project.
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