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Five years ago, German-born British post-minimalist composer Max Richter set out to do the unthinkable: compose an album designed specifically to put listeners to sleep. It’s true that plenty of musicians have been accused of producing soporific LPs over the years but Richter’s effort was something else altogether. The composer’s 8½-hour epic “lullaby”, Sleep, was created in conjunction with neuroscientist David Eagleman. Featuring 31 compositions, the album – designed to complement and even to improve the normal patterns of human sleep — was an international hit, selling more than 100,000 copies and subsequently garnering almost 40 million hits on streaming platforms worldwide. (Does it work? Well, from my experience it certainly is more beautiful and entertaining than counting sheep.) If there’s one truism about Richter, it is that he is no sheep. As music writer Andrew McMillen discovers, the composer is as original as they come: deep-thinking, urbane, uber cool. His latest album, about which he speaks on pages 8-9, focuses on themes of humanity. Timely.