Released: July 8
Continuing his revival of the glorious pop sounds of the 1980s, Peter Wilson delivers his most polished album yet with ‘The Great Unknown’.
Boasting 14 brand new recordings, the collection – the follow-up to 2021’s ‘Electricity – blends Italo disco with the classic PWL sound for an all-out, unapologetic celebration of pop music.
Opening with title track The Great Unknown, the record segues between storming pop numbers and rousing electronic moments, with Peter admitting there’s “very much a pop sensibility” running through the set.
“My sound is always going to be inspired by the ‘80s,” he acknowledges. “I knew that I covered the PWL sound throughout my career and I thought with this album, I wanted to keep that same vibe.”
Largely written and produced by Swedish songwriter Larry Forsberg, the album presents a stellar run of tracks – from the passion and drama of Everytime I Touch You to the moody You Talk Too Much – that sees Peter in the finest voice of his career.
He also contributes to a number of co-writes on the LP, with the double-punch of Come Here Baby (Don’t Make Me Wait) and Love Is Alive a showcase of his ear for a great pop hook.
Alongside original recordings, ‘The Great Unknown’ features three cover versions: Panther Rex’s Goodbye My Love, Cherry’s Lullaby, and Never Knew Love Like This Before, by Nancy Davis.
Originally released as the B-side to the single Higher and Higher, the latter is written by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman and features backing vocals from dance superstar Nicki French.
It’s not the album’s only PWL association; Peter’s longtime collaborator and former PWL mixmaster Pete Hammond serves as co-writer and/or producer on a number of cuts, including single Point of No Return, Don’t Wanna Fall and the stellar Gone For Good.
On A Moment Like This, meanwhile, Peter collaborates with Synthgo for a rousing, impassioned declaration of love, while the most poignant track on the LP, Simone, is a tribute to his late friend, to whom Peter has dedicated much of his extensive body of work.
Closing the album, Do You Love Me is another massive pop moment that sees the singer-songwriter finally find love – albeit when he least expects it. With lyrics that tell of him stumbling across the perfect partner after getting lost on a road trip, it features the brilliant line, ‘Now I am happy that I drove too far / And that I found you in that ghastly bar,’ harkening back to a time when pop didn’t take itself too seriously.
It’s a full circle moment that captures the essence of ‘The Great Unknown’ – a notion that can either instil fear and apprehension, or be embraced wholeheartedly and lead to something magical. On his latest record, Peter takes a leap and strikes gold, channeling his love of music into a collection brimming with passion and, most importantly, filled wall-to-wall with brilliant pop tracks.
‘The Great Unknown’ is available now.
