Released: October 28
Marc Almond lays himself bare on his latest solo offering ‘Things We Lost’.
Following his triumphant return to the charts earlier this year with Soft Cell’s ‘*Happiness Not Included’ – their first Top 10 offering in almost four decades – this new solo collection coincides with his 65th year celebrations.
Clocking in at six tracks produced in collaboration with award winning producer Chris Braide, the mini-album is an evocative set that places Marc’s storytelling front and centre.
Opening with the feelgood Golden Light, the track sees the hitmaker emerge from the trials of the past two years with an appreciation for life and all it has to offer. ‘We are children of the sun / We’ve never really lived in fear / We’re standing in a golden light and we will survive’, he boldly declares, in a refreshing U-turn from the dystopian narrative of the duo’s recent LP.
It’s a sense of euphoria that’s short-lived, however, as ‘Things We Lost’ explores various themes and emotions, including Marc’s own relationship with his mortality on Dead Stars, which tackles the legendary status famous stars can attain once deceased.
Elsewhere on the collection, Wolf (Modern Life) continues to examine his place in the world with allusions to himself as prey to the enveloping forces of darkness, while the sombre A Flowered Goodbye is an emotional exploration of the nature of ageing and the unpredictable timing of death that looms for us all. Both are heavy listens that cut deep not only in terms of subject matter, which is a far cry from typical pop fodder, but because of universal lyrics that play on suppressed fears inherent to us all.
Closing with its title track, Things We Lost tackles the nature of change head on, both personally and culturally, as Marc continues to grapple with his place in the world with admirable candour.
Available as a standalone mini-album or as a three-desc set with the Chaos & More – Live At The Royal Festival Hall, 2020 concert, ‘Things We Lost’ is a raw glimpse into the mind of Marc Almond – the artist and the person – as he celebrates his latest milestone, and a hopeful sign that there’s plenty more to come from him in the not too distant future.
‘Things We Lost’ is available now.
