U.K. composer crafts stunning neoclassical elixir on new LP
Lots of us boasted and claimed our lockdown experience inspired creativity and work ethic, but few if any of us have a body of work to show for our time in isolation. U.K.-based composer Tom Ashbrook, however, has racked up a stunning collection of tracks that chronicle his experience, highlighted with a stunning elixir piano and synthesizers.
His new album Solitudes has been written to reflect the initial feeling of deflation at the start of the lockdown, concluding with a feeling of progress and optimism for the future. Throughout the album, you can hear Ashbrook’s classical training and a nod to film soundtracks, a genre that lies close to his heart. There’s solemn moments in the more traditional classical pieces such as “Peter” and “Solitudes” (all three versions) and a hopeful and optimistic energy towards the end of the project, climaxing with the final track “We Begin.”
Speaking on his inspiration behind the project, Ashbrook shared:
“Solitudes is my personal documentation of lockdown, capturing the highs and lows of such an unbelievable year. I wanted to record the intense feeling of isolation and coping with your own thoughts for a never-ending length of time, only for it to be overturned by an immense release of hope, freedom and human re-connection. It’s amazing to think how the pandemic adapted so many lives around the world. Solitudes is my journal, with each entry defining a different emotion along the way. I got to collaborate with some amazingly talented friends on this album, despite not always being in the same room, which is incredible to think how connected we are even in such times. My friends and family have helped me so much and I want to thank you for all your support and optimism on this incredible ride.”
