BABELSBERG

Description

Singer and guitarist for the cult 90s psychedelic rock band Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys launched an equally brilliant solo career in 2005. With five albums already under his belt, Babelsberg is the second opus from this genius songwriter on Rough Trade, following Candylion in 2007. Initially recorded in early 2016 during a three-day session in a mill, the ten tracks on this new album then lay dormant for 18 months, feeding on the orchestral compositions of Stephen McNeff and the incredible work of the National Orchestra of Wales. The result is indeed Gruff Rhys's best recording to date. Surprisingly for an album written two years ago, each track seems to closely reflect the present we are experiencing. Throughout the forty-odd minutes of Babelsberg, Gruff Rhys manages to perfectly document our troubled and troubling times, with humor, grace, and addictive melodies. Amidst a career spanning three decades, two languages, multiple bands and collaborations, and boundless imagination, Babelsberg is probably the Welshman's most accomplished work. For this album, he surrounded himself with his usual musicians, namely Kliph Scurlock (ex-Flaming Lips) on drums, as well as multi-instrumentalists Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo) and Osian Gwynedd. Do not miss this epic journey between refined lyrics and masterful orchestral arrangements.