Annstiina takes a minimalistic approach on outstanding piano-led EP, "field"
With field, Nordic artist and producer Annstiina strips her music down to its barest elements and has revealed a new dimension of emotional power. Typically known for expansive, layered art pop, she’s pivoted here toward cinematic minimalism, giving the world a six-piece piano EP that says so much without speaking a single word. For anyone seeking a bit of calm in their life, this record delivered in a way that’s almost hard to explain.
The EP unfolds like a cinematic film across its runtime. Entirely improvised (which is unbelievably impressive), the piano compositions create an emotional arc that literally sucks you in from the opening notes on “feather”. There’s almost a sense of survival woven into the music, not ever really dramatized, but patiently lived through. Each piece feels like a memory coming out through her fingers in real time.
Annstiina’s playing is remarkable to say the absolute least. She resists the urge to overdo it, allowing the space of it all to become active elements of the compositions. Notes linger and fade, creating a sense of time stretching and folding in on itself. It’s easy to hear echoes of deeply expressive piano traditions here, but the sound that emerges is unmistakably her own.
This is music that invites stillness and a ton of focus from you as the listener. You don’t simply listen to it, you sort of sink into it. The EP 100% has a meditative quality that encourages reflection, whether approached with headphones in solitude or going on a walk to create a particular vibe. Without words to guide interpretation, the listener is free to project their own narratives, making the experience intensely personal depending on how you interpret it all. Annstiina says a great deal through her fingers alone.
The cinematic nature of the EP never feels forced. Instead, it comes out organically from the improvisation. It’s intimate without being insular and the way it’s produced actually feels like you’re in the room with her experiencing it all go down.
As a minimalist release, field feels like a prelude rather than a final statement. Annstiina has already signaled a return to her more expansive, experimental pop sound later in 2026, but this EP stands confidently on its own. We’re fully here for the Pop coming up, but in today’s society where we all need a moment to calm down, this is the record for that!
Where music nowadays feels like it relies on maximalism to make a statement, field is a reminder of how powerful less can be. It’s a beautiful, moving work that rewards patience. Whenever you give it a spin, make sure you give it your full attention because there’s so much subtlety you might miss out on if you don’t. For now, go ahead and click those links below to listen in, follow along, and of course to stay tuned for more in the works.
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