Anne Vanschothorst and Thijs de Melker Explore Landscape and Memory on New Single “RIFF”

Dutch artist Anne Vanschothorst and producer and sound designer Thijs de Melker have released RIFF, a captivating new single that transforms the sound of an acoustic harp into an immersive ambient journey. Inspired by Bob Gramsma’s land art monument Riff, PD#18245, the piece offers a unique meeting point between music, landscape, memory and imagination.

Originally conceived as a solo harp recording, RIFF gradually evolved into something much larger through careful layering, spatial processing and subtle electronic textures. The result is a rich and atmospheric composition that sits comfortably between ambient music, contemporary classical expression and sound art. Rather than simply creating a mood, the track invites listeners into an imagined world shaped by the history and environment surrounding the sculpture that inspired it.

Located in Flevoland, a Dutch polder reclaimed from the sea, Gramsma’s monument preserves the imprint of an excavated space within the landscape. This idea of absence and presence becomes a central element of RIFF. The music mirrors the artwork’s relationship with transformation, allowing sounds to drift, settle and reshape themselves over time. The evolving harmonies and carefully crafted textures create a sense of movement that feels both grounded and dreamlike.

The release also highlights Anne Vanschothorst’s distinctive artistic vision. Known as an artist with a harp, she approaches composition with curiosity and openness, drawing inspiration from nature, poetry, visual art and the spaces between disciplines. Her work often blurs the boundaries between sound, image and physical form, creating experiences that encourage reflection and attentive listening.

With the support of Thijs de Melker’s refined production and sound design, RIFF becomes more than a musical composition. It extends the dialogue of a specific place into sound, offering listeners the opportunity to experience landscape through a different lens. Thoughtful, atmospheric and deeply imaginative, RIFF stands as a beautiful example of how music can respond to art, memory and environment while creating a space entirely its own.