Review | Daniel Chrazel - liminal spaces
As we reflect on the past year through our own introspection or through various apps aggregating our data, I’ve come to realize how much of a presence ambient/drone has had in my life this year. It is always my “top genre,” but thinking deeper, it has been medicine for the world. It is the only way I can stop my head from buzzing, the only way to tune out the noise of external stimuli. There have been some great releases from this year to look back on, but I was happy to find a new release through a potentially unlikely place.
Daniel Chrazel’s liminal spaces was featured in a recent review/video essay from creator NakeyJakey. The music that accompanies it is as engaging, thoughtful, and full of different ideas as the video is, and it felt right to give it a sole spotlight. The title also speaks to the transitional feeling of the music, existing in a realm between jazz-focused piano and lush ambient minimalism. Each song offers its own flavor depending on what side of the fence Daniel was on when creating, leading to a mixed-bag of ideas that is wholly focused around these core principles and influences.
Let me explain this a bit more, starting with the first track, “distance.” For most of the song, light piano flourishes drizzle over an airy drone backdrop. Eventually, the drone dissipates completely and the pensive, upper register piano notes quickly turn into a full embrace of jazz piano beauty. It is rare that notes fly out of a minimal release such as this without losing the intimate touch of the genre. However, I love how demanding this song becomes, showcasing that this style of music can exist in the background, but can only be fully realized and understood when heard through active listening.
My Thoughts: Even after forty odd years, people are still adding their own influence and unique spin to the ambient genre. liminal spaces is yet another great addition to the jazz-ambient landscape, showcasing inspiring and ruminative compositions that grows deeper with each listen.
Favorite Tracks: floating, empty streets, late night
Genre: Ambient Jazz, Minimal, Piano
Moving along, “skyline (ambient)” and “floating” feel like they came from my favorite video game soundtracks à la Lena Raine, C418, or even Christopher Larkin. “floating” is a moody, dense like a fog in the air track that slowly unravels itself into more neoclassical composing. “skyline (ambient)” provides a lighter atmosphere to contrast, offering a more culminating end-of-day aesthetic to soak in and relax to. I want to note how often a great video game or movie soundtrack pops up as the music behind a video on YouTube amidst the copyright chaos there. While I’ll never get tired of the Chicory or Minecraft OST in that space, hearing original music prompted me to find the full release on Bandcamp.
While I hope the above showcases the diverse nature of the songs, even within the songs themselves, “empty streets” might be the one to convince unsure listeners of this release. Perfectly placed in the middle of the record after longer songs, “empty streets” is a disparate lament that culminates in under two minutes. After hearing the many different sounds of piano, keys and synthesizers, the touch of a ballad-ladden brass is a crushingly elegant moment that stands at the emotional height of liminal spaces. It was here I realized how divergent the release is throughout, with each track calcifying that thought even more.
I hope I’ve painted the canvas clear enough for others to want to hear what the rest of liminal spaces has to offer. I think in the simplest terms, these songs have a sense of setting, a sense of place or environment they belong to that can be summoned by each listener. I’ve only described half of them, and hope others look to discover the rest. I truly believe the venn diagram of avid ambient fans and NakeyJakey viewers is small, but certainly not nonexistent. I wanted to write this review for everyone outside of those circles, and especially for ambient fans looking for another great record to fall in love with.
Last week, I said to my room mate “Thank God for Brian Eno.” I’m not sure I knew what I meant by that, but saying it aloud sparked the thought. In essence, I’m thankful for the history of music that brought us to the ambient genre we know today, including the many predecessors and Eastern influences that helped shape the sound. It has not even been half a century since Eno’s 1978 album that coined the name “ambient,” yet it has become a staple of my music listening and discovery. Even after forty odd years, people are still adding their own influence and unique spin to the genre. liminal spaces is yet another great addition to the jazz-ambient landscape, showcasing inspiring and ruminative compositions that grows deeper with each listen.
Daniel Chrazel - liminal spaces
Release Date: November 30, 2025
Genre: Ambient jazz, Minimal, Piano
Written by Evan Lurie
