In an odd turn, I didn’t glom on to Gray when “Babylon” hit big. I liked the song, but not enough to go get everything. It was randomly picking up a used copy of A New Day At Midnight which is what made me become a fan. That album felt half hopeful and half somber, having come shortly after his father’s death due to cancer. It was the more somber tunes that I actually liked most. He followed it up with Life In Slow Motion, which changed to a big, bombastic style. But some of my favorites on that album were the ones that were a slow build.
Skellig is a softer, more intimate album that I have to assume is a reaction to the isolation of the COVID times. Though I read that Gray wrote the title track some ten years ago. But maybe it was the lockdown that made it more prevalent than before. The whole album is a sharp left-turn. I’ve liked Gray’s last few albums, but they all seem to meld a little together. Gold In A Brass Age added more electronic elements. But Skellig seems to be more of an amalgam of everything that had come before, while also carving a new lane for Gray.
Another thing I really love about this album is it feels like he brings in more vocalists to work alongside his unique style. I couldn’t find a full list, but whomever is providing the bass vocals is wonderful. I would love to see more collaboration, possibly a duets album, in the future.
Bonus: On Spotify there is an EP of calm versions of three of the songs. All are lovely, feel like they could fit on a Sigur Rós album.
Makes the playlist: Skellig, No False Gods, Dares My Heart To Be Free, House With No Walls, Can’t Hurt More Than This, All That We Asked For, all the calm mixes
