Felix Rösch - "Vienna"

As the most extreme and viscerally lonely parts of the pandemic seem to be behind us, we are hit with a recursion of nostalgia and mixed with deeply felt emotions for that time by artists who are reflecting on what it meant to be alive during that time, “Vienna” by Felix Rösch is a perfect example of this. A stirring and melancholic neo-classical track with soaring strings and subtle electronics, “Vienna” is a portrait of that time. Felix Rösch states, ‘Vienna’ was born from a profound desire for simplicity and peace amidst one of the hardest times in my life, echoing Vienna’s stillness during the 2021 pandemic lockdown.

While traveling and working as a theater composer in Vienna, the initial spark for this piece came from my late-night strolls through the city's cold, snow-covered streets. Shops, restaurants, museums – everything that made life in this city enjoyable – had been shut down due to the pandemic, I was separated from my family way longer than I felt bearable and everything seemed like it was spiraling apart.

Amidst this turmoil, a deep longing for simplicity inspired the initial concepts for this piece, which I carefully crafted around a minimalistic, spiraling interval structure that serves as the foundation for the entire composition.” A perfect companion for melancholy and reflective evenings.