Out Friday 13 September 2024 | Cambrian Records
Renowned Scottish musician, string-arranger and composer David Grubb is set to release his third album, Circadia on Friday 13 September. A versatile and highly sought-after artist who masterfully blends a multitude of musical genres, Grubb’s Circadia promises to be an album brimming with all-encompassing influences.
An instrumental concept album, Circadia explores the human subconscious, leading listeners on a sonic journey through a typical sleep cycle. Inspired by the universality of sleeping, dreaming and subconscious thoughts, David has composed an album which reflects the wacky but relatable nature of the sleep process.
Circadia features 17 tracks, each exploring specific phenomena experienced while asleep including false awakening, nightmares and lucid dreaming.
The album’s first single Daily Grind was released earlier this month. The track depicts the routine, often monotonous tasks and responsibilities that characterise everyday life, building towards a final stubborn climax.
Exploding Tetris, set for release on 1 August, combines two phenomena experienced during the hypnagogic state which occurs immediately before falling asleep – exploding head syndrome, characterised by sudden and intense noises experienced as one is falling asleep and the Tetris effect where patterns and images related to a particular activity are hallucinated. The track is split up into various sections that form a fun but manic portrayal of the battle to fall asleep.
The Somnambulist, set for release on 23 August, explores the act of sleepwalking. While it’s generally harmless, there is a hint of malice in this phenomenon as it gives the impression that someone else is controlling your body. This is reflected in the composition of the track, beginning slowly, before speeding up portraying the body slowly waking up as the unconscious mind releases it has control.
David Grubb said: “I’m fascinated by the weird and wonderful things working of our brains while we are in an unconscious state such as sleeping. There are countless strange phenomena we experience, many of which we still don’t understand – I was completely intrigued by the idea of exploring this realm through music. Each track strikes a perfect balance between being entertaining and faithfully portraying each phenomenon. Samuel Barnes’ incredible talent for engineering and mixing has truly accentuated the dreamlike quality of the album too.”
David Grubb, originally from Fife, is an acclaimed musician, best known for his ability to seamlessly fuse music styles and bridge the gap between genres, incorporating seemingly disparate elements from folk, jazz, prog and classical music.
Influenced by the Scottish traditional scene and his parent’s eclectic musical palette, David found inspiration in musical experimentation and sonic innovation after picking up his Grandad’s old fiddle. Now firmly rooted in Wales where he has proudly called home for 15 years, David has become an integral part of the vibrant UK music scene, leaving an indelible mark on a multitude of projects.
With an impressive track record of collaborations, David has been involved in over 30 albums, sharing the stage and studio with notable acts including Novo Amor, Jim Ghedi, Hailaker, Toby Hay, and working with producers Ali Chant, Neil Davidge and Ed Tullett across his career so far.
Playing alongside David Grubb on Circadia is Annie Perry (clarinets), Corben Lee (keys), Daniel Whitting (guitars), Aidan Thorne (bass), and Jon Reynolds (drums), with additional engineering and mixing by honorary seventh band member Samuel Barnes. The album was recorded at Giant Wafer Studios in Mid Wales.
David Grubb continued: “As a freelance musician, I’ve worked with various artists across different genres and styles and absorbed those musical qualities along the way. I’m incredibly proud of the music I’ve composed and arranged for this album. There were sections left open to interpretation by the band so their own ideas and influences could shine through in the final product too – the album really is a melting pot of inspiration, styles and genres.”
Circadia follows his debut release High Rise and second record Nano, released in 2020, which David considers a stylistic turning point in his composition, paving the way for the distinctive sound on this body of work.
Circadia will be available to stream and download on all major platforms from Friday 13 September 2024. The album is available to pre-order now at https://davidgrubb.bandcamp.com/album/circadia.