9 Rooms

Stewart Allan

Available to DOWNLOAD or as a PRINT-ON-DEMAND CD

Stewart Allan's 2021 Rattle release, 9 Rooms, had a long gestation. Some songs took shape over many years while Stewart searched for the right sonic framework for his work. He needed a sound world that would serve the aesthetic and intellectual qualities of his songs without compromising their emotional heart. Find a compatible collaborator was central.

In 2018, Stewart he invited ambient guitarist and music producer, Arli Lieberman, to work on one of his songs, to see if Arli's unique approach to music production and Stewart's creative and artistic sensibilities were compatible. The result was the track, 'The End is the Start', a clear indication that the synergy between their respective sound worlds was going to produce something special.

The music on 9 Rooms are rich in layered textures and ambiences. Wide-screen atmospheric currents ebb and flow through an immersive musical universe, a perfect environment for Stewart's thoughtful lyrics and finely honed melodies.

GRAHAM REID’S ELSEWHERE REVIEW

Produced by Arli Liberman and Stewart Allan
Recorded by Arli Liberman
Guitars and bass guitar by Arli Liberman
Drums and percussion by Chris O’Connor
Backing Vocals-Caitlin Smith, Huia Hamon, Anton Morgan and Stewart Allan
Dobro by Stewart Allan
Drums and percussion recorded by Olly Harmer at The Lab
Vocals recorded by Anton Morgan
Mixed and mastered by Chris Chetland at Kog

Photography by Jennifer Raoult
Designed by UnkleFranc
Printed by Studio Q

Released: 20 September 2021
Catalogue: RAT-D111

Videos

9 Rooms presents nine mini-universes, each representing a significant junction in Stewart Allan’s life that traverse themes of loss, change, and intimacy.

The album’s producer, Arli Liberman, has pushed the sound of the album to the extremes of the stereo field, his oceanic-soundscapes swelling and surging forward, but always anchored by Stewart’s vocal. At the heart of each song, master drummer/percussionist Chris O’Connor (Trinity Roots, Phoenix Foundation, SJD) laid down earthy grooves that urge the listener to palpably engage with the unfolding narrative. Chris’s tasty layers of percussive texture included drum kit, the Irish Bodhran, and a raft of experimental sounds, such an anchor chain dropping onto a cymbal and an array of tiny fairy bells tied to a floor tom skin.

The album was mixed and mastered through a plethora of valve technology by Chris Chetland at Kog Studios, giving it an unmistakably warm, lush, inviting sound.

The video concept for Shall We Dance was conceived by human rights documentary filmmaker, Sammy Riley, who perfectly tapped into the zeitgeist by bringing together more than 100 dancers from 15 countries across 6 continents to produce a life-affirming comment for our times.

The video for Silver Wings reflects the experience of packing up and moving: to a new home; a new country; a new life. It evokes the feelings associated with leaving, regret and loss, but also the anticipation and expectation that shapes the start of a new journey.

The video for Glow uses animation as a perfect visual accompaniment for a narrative about innocence and discovery. There are times in our lives when we are compelled to concentrate on what’s most important, and this song is a reminder that the most precious gift we have is family/whanau.

Inspired by Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, Stewart’s fourth single, New Moon, follows the journey of a missile and its destruction, reminding us that all over the world innocence is decimated daily due to war, with consequences often lasting for generations.