Lift Off is the brand-new album from Dan Reed. A solo effort (barring occasional contributions from a fantastic supporting cast), the album is one of those rare pieces that just seems to absorb you from the moment you hit play until the point, forty-minutes later, that you emerge from your reverie, unsure of quite what’s happened, but aware that you feel somehow more at peace with the world. Whilst this is largely down to the wonderful set of songs that Dan has crafted for the album, it’s important to note the remarkable richness of a production that seems to shimmer a metre or so in front of the speakers, bringing light and warmth along with it.
A chilled and soulful start to the album, Lift Off recalls the calmest moments of the Dan Reed Network’s perfectly lovely Origins, Dan’s warm, harmonized vocals set over a tasteful, electronic backdrop augmented with Bengt Jonasson’s sanguine bass. With Dan’s thoughtful lyrics to the fore, the music provides a calming antidote to the increasingly turbulent times reflected in contemporary news broadcasts and, for that alone, we have considerable reasons to be thankful that Dan has chosen this moment to release a new album. Spaceship Built For Two continues the mellow vibes, as simulated space chatter plays out over an acoustic backdrop. The intro gives way to a gorgeous, sun-kissed pop song that shows off Dan’s sensitive production, whilst the backing vocals (Emily Lynn and Lara Smiles) successfully add a dash of sweetness without overpowering the bitter-sweet lyric. With its intro caught between electronic ambience and subtly overdriven guitar, Landslide conjures images of Pink Floyd’s Momentary Lapse Of Reason as covered by Prince – Dan deftly interpolating subtly progressive pop with glistening soul. In contrast, the folky shuffle of Back To Earth taps into the likes of Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan, with Dan delivering some of the album’s most exquisite guitar work as it progresses. Another track that is built around a truly lovely chorus, it’s a warm, heartfelt piece and it paves the way for the faster-paced Hang Back. Arguably the first track that really misses the crisp punch of live drums, Hang Back feels like a track that will come alive in the live environment, although that’s not to say that the sun kissed melodies aren’t a delight in the studio incarnation. With rumbling synth underpinning the stunning, Satriani-esque guitar work, Docking Sequence brings the first half to a close on a gorgeous, prog-infused instrumental that you long to carry on into infinity.
The second half begins with album highlight Shed My Skin, which takes the pop-nous of Invisible Touch-era Genesis to an altogether more soulful place, whilst a stunning solo speaks to the emotional turmoil that lies beneath the lyric. Similarly paced, the gorgeous Butterfly is a masterpiece that pairs a truly mellifluous melody with the sort of stunning production values that made Peter Gabriel’s So an enduring classic. With James Bird (Mason Hill) guesting, Deeper Than Our Fear has a lighter touch than the songs that immediately precede it, the pair edging more into typical DRN territory, the creative sparks that fly between them driving the piece forward. The rather more downbeat Man Of War has a Bowie circa Hours vibe to it, and it leaves the heart-breaking and beautiful Heavens In Flames to see the album out. A cinematic ballad that neatly sums up Dan’s ability to give the impression that he’s singing directly to the listener, it brings the album to a gorgeous close.
Dan Reed is a rare artist whose ability to brighten even the darkest day is well-noted. With Lift Off he has added an album that pairs remarkable musicianship with stunning production to a back catalogue already stuffed with classics. However, whilst the album may soothe the savage breast, that is not to say that it opts for simplicity. The musicianship, as we have come to expect from Dan’s work, is never less than exquisite, whilst the thoughtful lyrics invite endless replays. A point of light in a world that so often feels as if it is teetering on the brink of darkness, Lift Off is a truly wonderful album. 9/10
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