Back in 2018 Circle Sky, the sleek electronic/ sci fi techno vehicle for Richard Norris and Martin Dubka to explore their futuristic dreams, released a single called Ghost In The Machine. It was and is a favourite of mine, tinkling piano at the top end, synth stabs, subtle, pulsing drums, a spectral voice and lots of beautiful repetition- repetition of melodies, of rhythms and vocals.
Circle Sky also released If I Let Go in the same year and in 2019 Love Hertz, both with some sumptuous remixes from the likes of Ulrich Schnauss, Crooked Man and Michael Mayer.
Now, as part of Richard Norris' seemingly endless productivity drive in 2020- 2021 and his Inner Mind subscription service we have a new Circle Sky release, Holding On. Similar building blocks, all those elements present- repetition, sweetly sung vocal loops, pitter- pattering drums, bright synth melodies and retro- futurist, happy/ sad, euphoric/ melancholic sheen. The album, titled Dream Colour (a title which sums Circle Sky up perfectly), is out in the summer.
Really good stuff this Adam, a nice change of pace for Mr Norris
ReplyDeleteHolding On is great, and complements the other selections whilst taking the sound forward.
ReplyDeleteRichard Norris is never far from my playlist, it seems, and today has been no exception as I've been revisiting Billie Ray Martin's 4 Ambient Tales EP. It's nearly 30 years old now (!), but there is a golden thread that links his musical influence and input without ever sounding like he's repeating himself.
I realised a while ago that his name is written through my record collection like the words in a stick of rock but without it seeming obvious.
ReplyDeleteTrynig to catch up on my reading and this post really caught my interest - of course. Holding On is gentle beauty that just gets inside you.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got to the comments I had a serendipitous moment as I had just finished listening to Billie Ray Martin's 4 Ambient Tales while putting together a playlist for a trip down to Fort Lauderdale in a few weekends. House of Love made it to the "Find Some Shade By The Pool" playlist.
*heads over to listen to BRM's 4 Ambient Tales*
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