Premiere: Bob Holroyd 'Longing'
Longstanding ambient, contemporary classical and electronic composer Bob Holroyd returns with his most personal work to date on 'The Cage'...
You may best know Bob Holroyd for his 1994 percussive classic ‘African Drug’ and its subsequent club-friendly remixes by the likes of Four Tet and Coldcut. But the longstanding, composer’s influence runs much deeper than that.
As a torchbearer for minimalism, ambience and sound design fused with traditional sounds from around the globe, Holroyd’s influence has stretched across the musical landscape with every genre blending release. On his forthcoming album ‘The Cage’ though, Holroyd is looking inward.
“‘The Cage’ is where I have subconsciously imprisoned myself emotionally for years,” he explained in an official statement. “By keeping out ‘negative’ emotions I have felt safe, but ultimately made myself unapproachable to others, and myself. I had the idea that instead of trying to escape this Cage I should enlarge it to include all emotions, feelings experiences and people - if EVERYTHING is in the Cage then I am more free than if I were keeping all influences out.”
The resulting album is one of reserved composition, delicate and organic melody and pure emotion. On ‘Longing’ – premiering below – a quiet, rhythmic rattle props up a low plucked harp melody, guitar harmonics and yearning strings.
'Longing' is a piece of music for the early hours, for the last ones awake as the sun cracks through the window of the after party, an accompaniment for those candid conversations that so often only happen in the foggy glow of the morning after.
The track comes accompanied by a touching stop motion video by Afrosheep, which you can also watch below.
'The Cage' is out this Friday 9th March via HML.
