Rikard From – Get Me Through December: A Nordic Piano Hymn for the Darkest Month

The piano speaks differently in winter. Its sound becomes both colder and warmer — crisp in the air yet full of breath. In Rikard From’s new single “Get Me Through December”, the instrument becomes a storyteller of stillness and endurance.

Clocking in at just under five minutes, the track unfolds like a heartfelt conversation between past and present. Recorded in E major at a gentle 94 BPM feel, it glides through emotional landscapes — part neoclassical reflection, part jazz improvisation. Released on Klangspot Nu Jazzical as the first glimpse of his upcoming album Wishful, the piece encapsulates everything that defines Rikard From’s artistry: tone, taste, and time.

A Dialogue Between Warmth and Air

From the opening measures, the piano’s tone feels alive — close-miked yet natural. You can hear the felt, the pedal, the subtle breath of the room. The spectral profile around 790 Hz confirms the warmth: no brittle highs, just the round resonance of hammers and wood.

Each phrase breathes with intention. The left hand moves with understated motion — a soft pulse instead of rhythm — while the right hand floats above, tracing melodies that sound improvised yet emotionally inevitable. The tempo reading of 187 BPM is deceptive; in feel it’s slow and contemplative, closer to half-time meditation.

E Major as a Language of Light

Choosing E major is no accident. It’s a key associated with clarity and sincerity, used by composers from Chopin to Keith Jarrett to express hope tinged with melancholy. Rikard uses it here as a seasonal metaphor: December light breaking through grey skies.

There’s no harmonic tension for tension’s sake — each change feels organic, like breathing. A few modal shifts lend a hint of jazz sophistication, yet the core emotion remains simple: gratitude, reflection, quiet strength.

Between Neoclassical and Jazz

“Get Me Through December” sits comfortably in that hybrid territory Rikard From has been cultivating for years — where neoclassical poise meets jazz phrasing. The right-hand melody carries lyrical arcs reminiscent of Brad Mehldau’s introspection, while the left-hand harmony recalls Erik Satie’s simplicity and Ólafur Arnalds’ emotional restraint.

Yet it’s unmistakably Rikard. His touch is both precise and human, his timing elastic in all the right places. Nothing feels edited; everything feels felt.

Dynamics as Emotion

The technical analysis shows a low RMS of 0.09, signaling a master with real dynamic life. That’s rare in today’s world of compressed loudness. The softs are genuinely soft; the fortes bloom like sunlight through a window.

This dynamic breath is the emotional engine of the piece. When Rikard leans into a chord, you can feel the intention — a momentary swell of warmth against the chill of the season. When he releases, the silence that follows carries equal weight.

The Spirit of Wishful

The upcoming album Wishful isn’t a traditional Christmas record. It’s a collection of quiet meditations on what it means to hope, heal, and remember. “Get Me Through December” acts as its emotional overture — the moment of acceptance that winter always brings.

Rather than sparkle and spectacle, Rikard offers sincerity and stillness. This is winter music for adults — music that understands time, loss, and renewal.

Not a Carol, but a Confession

Unlike most seasonal releases, “Get Me Through December” doesn’t decorate itself with bells or strings. It doesn’t quote Christmas standards or rely on nostalgia. Its magic lies in understatement.

It feels personal — like the moment you sit by the window, hands wrapped around a mug, watching snow fall without saying anything. The song’s title isn’t desperate; it’s grateful. “Get me through” becomes a humble wish, not a cry for help.

Production Aesthetics

The recording sounds honest and organic. Slight mechanical noises, felt resonance, and pedal motion add human intimacy. The mix captures depth without excess reverb — you can hear the piano’s physicality and air.

The spectral data (bandwidth around 2050 Hz) shows a wide tonal range, translating to an open and breathing piano image. It’s likely a high-quality grand piano recorded with minimalist microphone placement — natural room acoustics doing most of the work.

Playlists and Listening Context

This track fits perfectly into editorial and independent playlists centered around calmness, reflection, and winter serenity:

• Peaceful Piano

• Calm Christmas

• Christmas Peaceful Piano

• Jazz Piano Christmas

• Introspective Piano

• Winter Nights Piano

• Focus Piano

• Relaxing Winter Jazz

• Candlelight Piano

It’s the kind of track listeners return to not just in December, but anytime life slows down.

Rikard From: The Art of Honest Playing

Rikard’s Scandinavian sensibility permeates his work — understated, lyrical, but never cold. There’s an inherent humanity in his phrasing, a sense that he’s not performing for the listener but with them.

In “Get Me Through December,” he distills a universal emotion into five minutes of piano — no words, no ornaments, just truth. It’s the same quiet mastery that defines his live performances and previous compositions.

Klangspot Nu Jazzical: A Home for Hybrid Voices

The sublabel Klangspot Nu Jazzical continues to be a haven for artists who live in the fertile middle ground between jazz, classical, and ambient. Wishful adds another cornerstone — not festive in the commercial sense, but deeply spiritual in the emotional one.

This is what modern instrumental music can be: warm, cinematic, unpretentious, and timeless.

Light Through the Frost

“Get Me Through December” doesn’t shout, it shines. It’s a soft-spoken conversation between the hands and the heart — a piece that doesn’t decorate December but helps you move through it.

Through each sustained chord and fading resonance, Rikard From reminds us that beauty often comes not from abundance, but from attention.

As the world turns quieter and the year folds into memory, “Get Me Through December” stands as a gentle invitation to stay open — to feel, to listen, and to hope.