Mat Playford marks a return to Awesome Soundwave with ‘Solar’, a powerful and moving LP made up of ten original tracks.
From its conception, Solar has been a project that has been held deep in Mat Playford’s heart. Having begun producing the LP at the end of 2016, in Mat’s own words it has been: “a long journey this project” but one that has resulted in a standout album on Carl Cox’s Awesome Soundwave imprint.
The story behind the LP is arguably as interesting – and impressive – as the album itself. The story behind the LP is arguably as interesting – and impressive – as the album itself. Inspired by composer and dear friend Steve ‘Bertie’ Burton, whom he first met more than fifteen years ago, Bertie assisted Mat with the composition process, particularly the string arrangements which are a staple of the album. On top of this, Mat’s studio, where he collected and stored all of the synths used to create the records, is powered by solar panels. Such a feat demonstrates a hard-working ethic as well as impressive technical talent, but this is taken to the next level. The excess power produced by the solar panels is “sold back to the national
grid”, something Mat has been undertaking for “nearly ten years”.
This engineering marvel is surprising and outstandingly impressive, but it is Mat’s attention to detail and dedication to this cause that is ever-more inspiring. Mat went to the lengths of “rebuilding his studio” so that he was standing up when recording the tracks. This is because it “was a live project, so (he) wanted
to record them in the same posture (he) would perform them live”. The incredible factor in this instance, is that the table Mat used to record the synths is carved “out of a tree that came down in 2015” and the end product “took three months worth of sanding and varnishing”.
Tracklisting:
1. Celestial Mechanic
2. Lucid Crossrhodes
3. Ephermis
4. Almagest
5. Ptolmey
6. Kic 8462852
7. 3 Free Body Problem
8. Nymphaeum
9. Tomorrows World
10. Last Perihelion
Released: 5th July 2019
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