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  1. New album “So That’s How It Ended…” available now on all digital platforms!

    Posted on

    Spotify Release Radar 3rd Sep 2021

    The new SuperCool-Guy album “So That’s How It Ended…” is available now on all digital music platforms. Here's the links: 

     

    The artwork 

    SCG-STHIE-Cover-3000px

    The cover artwork is by the amazing Brazilian artist Abraão Lucas (@abraaolucas).

    I wanted to stick with the “SuperCool-Guy” persona and his trademark knocked-over glasses from the previous album cover (“Back in the Groove”). He’s sort of a nerdy guy and the “supercool” brand is obviously meant to be sarcastic and funny. 

    In the first album, he was the nerdy guy who somehow gets the sexy girls and that gets him all flustered, hence the sideway glasses! A sort of “revenge of the nerds”-type character!

    I wanted to evolve him a bit with this new album. Like me, he’s now a bit older… but obviously none the wiser! :-) 

    I wanted to find a new reason for the sideway glasses: so this time, whatever he did, that got him punched in the face! Hence, the sideway glasses and the black eye!

    DISCLAIMER: the sideway glasses/black eye are not a subtle “one-eye” sign or any mark of submission to satanic music industry moguls or whatever! (*) If they were, I would actually have a music career! :-) SuperCool-Guy will never trade his soul for earthly riches or “success”. 

    (*) If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out the excellent https://vigilantcitizen.com and its “Symbolic Pics of the Month” articles. End of disclaimer!

     

    So That’s How It Ended…

    At the risk of overthinking it, the album title has at least three levels of meaning for me: 

    First, taken on its own, it’s an invitation to listen to the record and find out what it is that’s ended and how it ended! I won’t spoil it for you guys, but if you listen to the record and pay attention to the lyrics (one song in particular), I promise that the title will take on another layer of meaning. You might get a little bit of added satisfaction from it!

    Second, in the context of the album cover, it’s a bit of slapstick fun: SuperCool-Guy thought he was all cool and whatever he did, that got him punched in the face! That’s how it ended: with a pair of broken glasses and a black eye! 

    Third, the title is a sort of tragi-comic commentary on current times: while western society – perhaps humanity as we know it, even! – was being destroyed, what was SuperCool-Guy doing? Writing and singing stupid little pop songs! It’s an acknowledgement of the futility of this record.

    That is not to say that as a private citizen, I am not politically engaged. But SuperCool-Guy is that part of me that searches for beauty and positivity. While that may seem futile in a world that’s crumbling down all around us, I’m not going to make him political. Like Paul McCartney, he’s going to keep on writing silly little love songs. (What's wrong with that?)

     

    The songs

    The digital version of the album includes 11 tracks: 10 songs + 1 bonus track which is an alternate version of the song “Ophelia”. (I couldn’t decide which version I liked best so included both!)

    Like my previous output, the style is very much “pop” in a very general sense. It’s meant to be positive, uplifting, it has some 80s influences, some rock and house/trance influences even… it’s a bit more electronic, and production-wise, I think it’s the most polished and sonically satisfying music I’ve ever produced.

    Here’s a medley featuring some of the songs on the album…

     

    Credits

    All tracks composed, arranged, performed and produced by A. Robin / SuperCool-Guy between 2014 and 2021.

    Mixed by SuperCool-Guy except tracks 5 by Viceroy and 11 by Adrian Hall.

    Mastered by Jon Astley at Close To The Edge Mastering.

     

    1. Soma

    Music: A. Robin

    Lyrics: A. Robin, Aldous Huxley

    Vocals: Fay Cannings 

    Based on and featuring lines from Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (Chatto & Windus, 1932)

     

    2. Musicity

    Music & Lyrics: A. Robin

    Vocals: SuperCool-Guy

    With thanks to Nick Luscombe and mscty.space.

     

    3. Party in the Sun

    Music: A. Robin

    Lyrics: Gavin Clifton, Larry Wheeler & A. Robin

    Vocals: SuperCool-Guy

     

    4. You (So Alive!)

    Music & Lyrics: A. Robin

    Lead vocals: Fay Cannings

     

    5. Ophelia (Viceroy Mix)

    Music & Lyrics: A. Robin

    Lead vocals: Wani

    Synth sounds, additional sequences and mix: Viceroy

     

    6. No More Chasing You

    Music: A. Robin

    Lyrics: Gavin Clifton & A. Robin

    Vocals: Kelly Erez

     

    7. Inside Out

    Music & Lyrics: A. Robin

    Lead vocals: Fay Cannings

    Homage to the City of London’s Lloyd’s building, aka the “Inside-Out Building”.

     

    8. Enchanted

    Music: A. Robin

    Lyrics: Gavin Clifton, Larry Wheeler & A. Robin

    Vocals: SuperCool-Guy

     

    9. Temple of the Sun

    Music & Lyrics: A. Robin

    Vocals: SuperCool-Guy

     

    10. Darkness of My Heart

    Music: A. Robin

    Lyrics: Gavin Clifton & A. Robin

    Vocals: SuperCool-Guy

     

    11. Ophelia (Mostly Acoustic Mix)

    Lead Vocals: Wani

    Acoustic guitars: Nicky V

    Mix: Adrian Hall

     

    Many thanks to all my super-talented collaborators on this album!

  2. New album “So That’s How It Ended…” – pre-order now on the iTunes Store!

    Posted on

    The new SuperCool-Guy album “So That’s How It Ended…” is available now for pre-order on Apple iTunes!

    Check out the 3-mn “teaser” medley on SoundCloud…

    … and the video on YouTube:

    The iTunes album includes 11 tracks (10 new songs + 1 bonus track).

    I think it’s the best music I have produced to date. Like my previous output, it’s very much pop music, positive, uplifting, it has some 80s influences, some rock and house/trance influences even… it’s a bit more electronic, and production-wise, I think it’s the most polished and sonically satisfying music I’ve ever produced.

    I can’t wait for you to hear it and tell me what you think!

    The album will be out next week, on Friday 3rd September, on all digital platforms.

    All the music was composed, arranged and performed by yours truly... with a little help from some very talented friends:

    • Lyrics co-written with Gavin Clifton on 4 tracks and Larry Wheeler on 2
    • Guest vocals by Fay Cannings on 3 tracks, Wani on 2, and Kelly Erez on 1
    • Acoustic guitars by Nicky V on 1 track
    • Mixing and additional production by Viceroy and Adrian Hall on 1 track each
    • Mastering by Jon Astley at Close to the Edge Mastering

    The cover artwork is by the amazing Brazilian artist Abraão Lucas.

    Please pre-order, like, share, etc.!

    In my next blog entry, I will be provide track-by-track credits and will also share my thoughts behind the album concept, artwork and title.

  3. You (So Alive!)

    Posted on

    Check out my new song "You (So Alive!)" feat. Fay Cannings!

    Words, music & arrangement by: A. Robin
    Vocals by: Fay Cannings
    Produced by: SuperCool-Guy

    Verse 1
    Kind of physical
    Kind of spiritual
    I’ve never felt this way before… it’s kind of magical

    Pre-Chorus 1
    Been around the world, searching for the answer
    And here you stand, it’s you I was after

    CHORUS
    You… you make me whole
    You… you make me feel like I’m invincible
    You… you take me home
    You lift me up, I don’t know how
    You make me feel… so alive!

    Verse 2
    Indescribable
    Undeniable
    This feeling taking over me… is unstoppable

    Pre-Chorus 2
    You came to me when I was down
    I’ll stand by you, our lives are bound

    CHORUS

    Break
    And when we touch I feel your fire
    You make me feel… alive!

    CHORUS +

    End
    You lift me up, I don’t know how
    You make me feel… so alive!

    © â„— 2018 A. Robin - All rights reserved