Hauschka's newest release is one of the most interesting albums I have come across in a long time. Room to Expand explores the piano in a way that most pianists fail to notice. Conventional piano wizards use the keys of a piano to demonstrate their virtuosity and, thus, produce beautiful music. Hauschka, on the other hand, takes a different approach. Hauschka looks to gain more sound from the piano by simply adding more. The group attaches items to a piano's keys-strings, hammers, and pedals-to introduce a brand new repertoire of sounds that have probably never been heard before. When one particular key is depressed, the pitch that is normally created is also joined by another foreign sound created by whatever objects have been attached.

The result of Hauschka's method is an album of beautiful, simple piano songs in front of a close background of completely original, light percussion. Although Room to Expand is not a particularly poignant album, it is a collection of lovely and picturesque songs perfect for daydreaming.