Andy Bell, the talented Welsh artist, boasts a remarkable musical journey. He is well-known as the frontman of Ride, a pivotal band in the early British shoegaze movement. Recently, Ride reunited and launched their album Interplay. In addition to that, Bell was part of Oasis for a significant period. Despite differing opinions on Oasis’s future, there are emerging rumors of a reunion planned for next year, with Bell possibly involved. Before any such reunion, he is set to unveil fresh music.
Besides his contributions to major bands, Andy Bell has produced a multitude of solo projects, both under his name and as GLOK, his electronic music persona. Following the release of the GLOK album Pattern Recognition in 2021, he is now preparing to introduce a new album titled Alliance, created in collaboration with Timothy Clerkin, the head of Manchester’s Insult To Injury label.
The partnership began when Timothy Clerkin remixed Andy’s GLOK song “Projected Sounds” in 2020, paving the way for their full collaboration. The two artists completed the album remotely during lockdown, sparked by Clerkin rediscovering an old Les Paul guitar. In a recent statement, Bell shared:
We didn’t have a strict plan. I was experiencing a rush of creativity, and for me, making music was a way to stay grounded. In hindsight, it might have driven me a bit mad in a different way. Tim took charge of the production while I focused on generating and recording musical concepts, contributing to his ideas. Honestly, I can’t remember who played what on each track; it all gets mixed in Tim’s creative process, resulting in incredible music!
The lead single, “Empyrean,” is a captivating seven-minute experience featuring a droning guitar foundation complemented by synth melodies, reminiscent of the more experimental side of ’90s downtempo music. Timothy crafted the song by remixing a demo Bell had shared, and Bell described it as “one of the best tracks I’ve ever been a part of since starting my music career.” Truly high praise! You can listen to “Empyrean” below and view the complete tracklist for Alliance.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Empyrean”
02 “AmigA”
03 “Nothing Ever”
04 “Scattered”
05 “The Witching Hour”
06 “E-Theme”
07 “Nothing Ever (Reprice)”
Alliance is scheduled for release on November 8th.
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