Beyond Solarstone himself, there’s probably no artist that better embodies the quintessential sound of the ‘Electronic Architecture’ albums than Alucard. In one capacity or other he’s been a feature of all four of its to-date releases, which has more than cemented his ‘EA’ credentials.
This year though he takes a further step in that direction, releasing his debut Alucard artist album ‘Star Rider‘ through Electronic Architecture’s label arm.
Alucard’s musical relationship with Solarstone dates back almost as far as Canadian producer Peter McCowan’s own production year-zero, with the pair first collaborating on 2007’s unforgettable ‘Late Summer Fields’. If the title and aesthetic tone of ‘Star Rider’ is sending your mind to a different point in time though, it’s for some good reason. Both artists came of musical age in the 80s and it was through that shared love that their musical bond first formed. In a nod to that, the album has at least one of its feet planted in that decade. ‘Star Rider’s title track, the Vangelis-tinted ‘Beautiful Silence’, the early appearance of ‘BMX Ride’ and its denouement number, ‘1984’ all speak certain volumes in that respect.
However, to categorise it solely in that respect would be to miss its broader point. This is after all an album on Electronic Architecture … by an electronic architect! Thus, through tracks like the expansively atmospheric ‘Dead Space’, the similarly rich ether of ‘Face In The Fire’ and the cascading beauty of ‘Elementary’, Alucard ranges much farther and wider. In its later stages, ‘Midway’ (which premiered on ‘Electronic Architecture 4’) and ‘Nightmares’ present a more floor-ward way of thinking, while ‘Stand Together’ which Peter produced alongside brother James McCowan, triumphs in the album’s final quarter.
An LP that will delight enchant, entrance and expand the musical imagination, ‘Star Rider’ by Alucard is available to pre-order/stream from today, through Electronic Architecture. Find it here.
Track list: Alucard – Star Rider
- Face in the Fire
- 1984
- BMX Ride
- Elementary
- Dead Space
- Midway
- Nightmares
- Beautiful Silence
- Stand Together
- Star Rider
