LOST HORIZONS, the guest artist-featuring, blissful musical project of Cocteau Twins bassist and Bella Union supremo Simon Raymonde and Richie Thomas, have announced their second LP, In Quiet Moments, which will be released in two instalments, with the physical release included with the final instalment early next year.
Both Simon and Richie had been away from the frontline of music-making for two decades before the release of 2017’s acclaimed Ojalá – the Spanish word for “hopefully” or “God willing.” If you were lucky, you got to see an enveloping performance from them at End of the Road in 2018.
And in support of the announcement of In Quiet Moments they’ve today released the excellent, ska-brass led “I Woke Up To The Light”, a collaboration with The Hempolics and graced by the soul power of that London outfit’s Nubiya. It’s a cracker, dubby and soulful, directly in the lineage of great British music that doesn’t see colour.
The new album really does feature a stellar array of guests: expect to hear John Grant, Marissa Nadler, Porridge Radio, Penelope Isles; Karen Peris, of The Innocence Mission, Tim Smith of Midlake, and more.
When Simon and Richie assembled 16 instrumentals to begin to send to prospective singers, they did so with the following miniature musical manifesto in mind, says Simon: “Death and rebirth. Of loved ones, of ideals, at an age when many artists that have inspired us are also dead, and the planet isn’t far behind.
“But I also said, ‘The most important part is to just do your own thing, and have fun’.”
The 16-track album will be released in two sections: The first eight tracks are due for a digital release on December 4th; the second eight and the full physical release will follow on February 26th next year.
In Quiet Moments is more about rebirth than death. “I think it’s more joyous than Ojalá,” says Richie. “But both albums have a great energy about them.”
“[It’s] more in the direction of where we’re going; people have retreated into their lives and, in those quiet moments, reflected on the world, how we fit in and who we trust.”
Lost Horizons’ In Quiet Moments will be released in two instalments digitally, and then on CD, trad black 2xLP and limited green and blue double vinyl; pre-orders are now being taken here.
