For his new album “City” (forthcoming on Naim Label) Stuart McCallum steps even further into the world of electronica, whilst still maintaining that magical combination of both acoustic and electronic instruments that gives his music such a distinctive sound.
The guitarist/composer from Manchester made the decision to bring in London-based drummer/producer, Richard Spaven, who he met during his time playing with Cinematic Orchestra. All tracks are co-written by Stuart McCallum and Richard Spaven apart from the title track City, which we so proudly premiere on Soundcloud today.
Spaven’s production style lies somewhere between the realms jazz and electronica and subtly bridges the gap between these two worlds using grooves that blend contemporary jazz and bass-heavy downtempo electronics. The melodies and layered harmonies from Stuart McCallum’s guitar, as well as synth pads and bass, are all driven by Spaven’s hypnotic grooves and provide the perfect foil for McCallum’s often delicate and captivating sound.
The new album features a handful of seasoned musicians including McCallum on guitars, Robin Mullarkey (ESKA, Roisin Murphy) on bass, Sean Foran (Trichotomy) on Rhodes and Richard Spaven (Flying Lotus, José James) on drums, synths and electronics. Violinist Emma Sweeney guests on one track, Trio Seven. The album also features guest vocalists on four tracks by JP Cooper (Island Records), Sharlene Hector (Basement Jaxx), Fridolijn Van Poll and Sophie Barker (Zero 7).
Stuart McCallum’s music has always thrived in that beautiful space where genres blur. With a wide range of influences from Machinedrum, Lau and Martin Simpson to Debussy, Taylor McFerrin and Burial, it’s not difficult to see how this has come about. August 28th marks City’s official release date and pre-orders are available via the Naim Label website.
