In our previous reviews of the musical astronaut known as Spectre, we’ve described his work in such ways: “…creates his music on the shoreline, where the beautiful chaos of errosion and creation occur simultaneously.” “Imagination-stirring. Emotionally compelling. Brighter than it is dark.” “…bound in a vibrational irony…”
His Rustic Dreams EP is all but a lock to make our 2019 Top 10 list, and now, the UK’s very own, Stuart Francis, has returned with his latest sonically marbled concoction. The compellingly contrasted, ITD (In The Dark), a project which the artist himself has used to find self-acceptance for the complexly dichotomous nature of his life…
“I feel these are just some pieces of music based on finding myself and accepting the light and the dark.”
—Stuart Francis (a.k.a., Spectre)
HERE’S WHAT WE DUG MOST…
In his typical style, the album runs as one long track, with each song bleeding into the next. Beginning with, These Strange Things, a fixating blend of acoustic-folk, deep-techno, and Brit-rock all rolled into a single track. Done-so without dissonance or chaos, each part finds its way to the next in this wildly accurate portrayal of modern life for the youth on planet Earth…
“The wonderful mind of the free
Chained to no cell
And always free
Only this way can I create
The masterful
The wonderful
The turbulent tide
These strange things
Make me what I am today”
In The Dark is an urgent and strange walk in through the darkness, an ambient and abstract search for light. A light which is delivered briefly in, Sunshine Breakthrough, a track with Floydian influences.
OUR FAVORITE TRACK…
The mood is not dark. Rather, it is utterly fearless and explorative. Acoustic & electric strings, psych-synth, and electro-industrial beats which come and go; all unite to reveal some of Francis’ deepest—once caged—thoughts in Rise. Decide for yourself about what it is that he speaks.
The sparkling and strange, Give Myself Away, offers the album’s most compelling prose, which we offer here…
“For the promise of pain
Why give myself away
For the promise of this day
I do not expect you to understand
Knowing that I am not a normal man
Bound to my fate
Bound to forsake
Why give myself away
For the promise of yesterday
I do not expect you to understand
Not knowing where you stand
Knowing that I am a mortal man
For the promise of pain
Bound to my fate
My time is precious
My need is great.”
Perhaps a mantra, perhaps only a fantasy, One True Love, is another gorgeously bipolar and abstract piece, juxtaposing deep, down-tempo synth-pop with a trap-style break halfway through this short interlude. It’s fantastic.
There are moments here and there, when Dark To Shine feels a bit like Bowie’s, Space Oddity.
Sharp edges mash together with gentle lines in the final track, Through Closed Eyes, another piece with great Floyd-esque undertones. To fix a genre to this kind of music is, well, impossible.
IN CONCLUSION…
Hypnotic. Simultaneously a project tethered in dense emotion—yet remains an utter maverick of free, creative spirit. A collision of extreme simplicity—and—profound complexity which ultimately defines Spectre’s sound. There were moments while listening that I found it difficult to keep up with my thoughts and emotions in Spectre’s latest album, the psychedelically-colored, the other-worldly, ITD (In The Dark). With just enough structure to grab hold, but not enough to become complacent, this album shows both growth and enormous potential for this young music smith. As he continues his mystical journey inward, we will continue to look forward to more of that search’s sonic rewards.
WHOSE LOVECHILD…?
Nine Inch Nails meets Pink Floyd with twists of Beatles and Bowie…
BELOW: Listen to Spectre’s album, ITD (In The Dark), and connect with his social media platforms. Please support Spectre by visiting him online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing his music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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