After working on this album for around 18 months, the newest release entitled Chin Up is now available for pre-order through Possession Records. It’s to be available in digital and limited run CD and cassette formats. I have to say… it feels honestly strange to be announcing a record during these strange pandemic times, but it felt the best time to do it as a lot of moods and feelings that were sewn into these songs feels very in line with the times. It’s a very personal record and one I sat on for ages as I’m not even sure I wanted to release it due to that close proximity to a lot of things I feel on a daily basis.
The majority of the tracks from this album were written at the same time as the tracks from the most recent release, When Push Comes To Shove. I’d switch between writing between the two sets of songs, often tiring myself from writing the more upbeat tracks off When Push and wanting to drift off somewhere else. Chin Up was mostly written in the late night hours as an escape from the trappings of things like culture, scenes, political calamity, information overload, existential dread and the confines of what is considered synthesizer pop music. Its genesis is rooted in a feeling of endless grey malaise, especially in the record’s long and labyrinthine feel — but then taking that initial idea and expanding its colour.
To vary things up a bit I got some help with some friends for this record, including vocal contributions come from Croatian synthpop artist Iv/An (Tonn Recordings) as well as Adam Usi, from Augsburg DE (Young & Cold Records).
With the announcement of this record today you can buy the digital version now for only £1.00 up until the actual release date on 27 April 2020. You’ll get all the tracks to download instantly. For me, the relative business of moving records, distribution and promoting a saleable product seem pretty irrelevant in the current climate. With everything being a lot of big unknowns I’m more interested in giving people the opportunity to hear it without needing to worry about money to spend at this point in time.
The cassette and CD versions are now available for pre-order as well. Anyone purchasing these physical formats will get all the digital versions of the tracks right away through pre-order.
That’s it for now. Thanks to everyone for their support and remember… when push comes to shove, chin up!
Tracklisting
- All You Good People
- Laughter Takes Off The Edge
- Solitary Figures (with Iv/An)
- Chin Up
- Counter-Productive (with Adam Usi)
- The Crossfade
- Hiding In Clouded Tones
- A View In The Smog
- Who Knows Where You’ll Be
- Frost On An Eyelash
- Grass Through Cement
