The Neil Cowley Trio’s sixth studio album, Spacebound Apes, is one wrapped in intrigue and surprises but what else do you expect from the witty and mischievous British pianist? Let me get you caught up… Spacebound Apes, from what we gather, is a multidisciplinary endeavor where the album lends itself as the soundtrack to a story: the story of an ordinary man named Lincoln. The actual story of Lincoln is unraveling as I write these very lines on Lincoln’s very own Tumblr (http://lincolnsdiary.tumblr.com/) and is set to culminate on September 16th, the release date of the album.
“This is a project I’ve been working towards for a long time” Cowley says. “It takes in themes of guilt, fear, loss and longing with a few twists along the way. It’s been utterly immersive yet incredibly exciting. And yes, I’m not ashamed to say it, it’s a concept album!” He continues, “It sounds a bit cryptic, but hopefully everyone will come along for the ride”.
Joining Cowley on this ride are his usual acolytes Evan Jenkins on drums and Rex Horan on bass, with guest appearances by Brian Eno collaborator Leo Abrahams on guitars and FX. The usually acoustic trio resorted to the use of electronics as well as a full-blown choir on this project in the quest for a truly cinematic, shall I say epic, sound. Touché Mr. Cowley.
Spacebound Apes is set to release September 16th in two distinct formats: the album, which will be available physically and digitally at your retailer of choice, as well as an exclusive LP-sized book containing Lincoln’s full story, complete with unique illustrations by DC Comics illustrator and Pan’s Labyrinth film concept artist Sergio Sandoval, as well as full piano transcriptions of all 11 tracks.
The first single from Spacebound Apes, a song entitled “Grace”, has already garnered over one million listens on Spotify, while the second single, “The City and the Stars”, was released as a music video (which you can watch below) just a few days ago. Enjoy.
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