Blue Amber Release New Album “Rockland’s Workshop”
Cardiff based Art-rock outfit Blue Amber have just released their adventurous first studio album “Rockland’s Workshop“, which is streaming below and out now.
The new 10-track album solidifies our earlier statement in which we raved that this outfit had the world at their feet. Blue Amber have released this progressive record with a stirring connection to their surroundings, emphasized by affection and fearlessly exploring such experimental attributes.
The first half of the record was inspired by the seaside town of Aberystwyth, the people who reside there, and the artist’s personal soundtrack living there. The song ‘Hinterland Girls’ is about the people who you encounter on a typical night out in the town, while ‘West Coast Renaissance’ is a tribute to the enclosed art scene within the university arts scene. Continuing on the theme, the second half of the record focuses on the experiences of returning to your hometown. It explores the feelings of returning to a place from your past, seeing people you haven’t seen in years and your relationship with a place you once knew so well. As a result the tone of the second half of the record is darker, and more critical of its surroundings.
Initially, a solo project based out of Drew’s bedroom, Blue Amber quickly grew into a rotating ensemble of like-minded friends and musicians from all around the UK based in Cardiff. The band, now comprised of composer Freyja Elsy (keyboards/samples/vocals), jazz guitarist Kumar Chopra, and Drew Noel (vocals and saxophone), are described as pulling together a wide range of influences from instrumental hip hop to post-punk, beat poetry to indie folk, to create sonically diverse musical offerings that capture the experiences of 20-somethings in a post-Brexit Britain.
The key thing about this outfit and something which is captured within their creations, Blue Amber creates such innovative soundscapes that hook the audience based on the purity of the ensembles’, the outfit cultivates such emotion that it emits from the original voyage. An outfit of authenticity.
The new 10-track album commences with the first track “Blue Hour/Ystwyth“, initiating the track with a clear soundbite of crashing waves, instantly producing this touching atmosphere, calming, mesmeric and natural. The sound of birds rises above the harmonic acoustic guitar notes. The atmosphere dynamically grows with various field recordings, the intro grows and gains intensity before suddenly that magnitude of ambiance simply bursts.
The second track, “The Jerk” flows immediately keeping some of the same atmospheric traits from the opener. Focusing on the soft blends of dual vocal harmonies, expressly painting a clear picture of their thoughtful arrangement. Delicate notes twinkle, and shimmer with the perfectly placed cymbals which enhance the growing rhythms. A very raw track, of minimalist formation, reliant on the range of vocal harmonies consuming the listener.
As the audience finds themselves fixated on the very fragile journey, “Hinterland Girls” alters that addiction by offering this contrast to the tracks which played first. Heavier, built on this buoyant tonality that loops and cuts through the ambiance. The immersive, brooding vocal notes move the track, and the group vocals add this sumptuous element to the creation, with the combined harmonies elevating the exploration with this refreshing push. The glockenspiel adds this almost innocent nature to the track whilst The Hinterland Vocal Group pierces the atmosphere with this emotional rise. Drew uses this track to showcase the wordsmith’s captivating persona within the lyrics.
This visual record brings to life each word, each sustained note, and each choral melody. As the album progresses, Blue Amber courageously moves the audience further into their complex landscapes, focusing on new instrumentation, countless hooks, and expressive tonalities. Rich rhythms and powerful wind instruments guide the forcible voyage, Blue Amber delves further into darker territory.
Clinging onto the illustrious vocal harmonies and volatile lyrics, Blue Amber embarks on this essential crusade where they capture and express their unique and enchanting take on their setting. Tracks such as “University Jesus” proudly announce a shift in the journey of this record, taking on more challenging themes. Bold drum shuffles and the warmth of the trombone and cornet contribute to the evolving, addictive qualities. The sweeping strings that surge throughout the fragile bars of “The Great British Sitcom (for Jozef Raczka)”, those notes simply cascade this deep and personal emotional cadence amongst this tender track, focusing on the variety on offer throughout from the sincere spoken-word contributions. This track will leave you in awe, important, aggressive, and worthy. As the album flows, the final release “Fencing” is a poignant, reflective exploration that captures the very best of this outfit. A moving orchestration that leaves this lasting impression.
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