Petrels

"Orpheus"

BY Alan RantaPublished Apr 9, 2015

London-based producer Oliver Barrett is set to release his fourth official solo full-length under the name Petrels, Flailing Tomb, at the end of May, care of Denovali. In the meantime, Exclaim! is happy to premiere a song from the album entitled "Orpheus."

"Orpheus" is a contemporary hymn of sorts, starting off with the compelling lead vocals of RBMA Tokyo participant Never Sol basking in the wake of an angelic chorus, subtle percussion, and hollow synthesis that progresses to a driving post-apocalyptic synth lead and shimmering organ peak. It has an expansive sound, mixing classical elements with the now sounds from way out to give it an unearthly, cathartic feel.

The whole Flailing Tomb album reportedly "draws inspiration from sources as wide-ranging as Ursula K. Le Guin's speculative fiction, Indian-Celtic connections, self-mummification, Jude the Apostle (patron saint of lost causes), and Jean-Luc Godard's seminal sci-fi masterpiece, Alphaville (much of the second-half of the album is adapted from music originally written as an alternate score to the film), weaving all this and more into six intricately layered parts — at once forthright and ambiguous."

With ambition like that, it's no wonder Barrett has previously been enlisted to remix the likes of Duane Pitre, Brassica, Talvihorros and Max Cooper, and shared the stage with the likes of Tim Hecker, Demdike Stare, Nadja and Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Cluster). Ever busy, Barrett is also taking Petrels on the road in Europe this May. Check out the tour dates and stream "Orpheus" below.

Tour dates:

05/01 Wuppertal, DE - Galerie Grölle
05/03 Wroclaw, PL - Asymmetry Festival
05/05 Duisburg, DE - DJäzz
05/11 Münster, DE - Westfälisches Landesmuseum
05/12 Bochum, DE - Christuskirche
05/13 Utrecht, NL - Hertz
05/14 Leuven, BEL - Stuk
05/15 Köln, DE - Stadtgarten
05/16 Hamburg, DE - Golem 
05/18 Berlin, DE - Grüner Salon
05/19 Karlsruhe, DE - Jubez 
05/21 Hannover, DE - Feinkost Lampe
05/22 Dresden, DE - Scheune

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