Cal Raasay has released ‘Over Blue’, the lead single from his ‘Still’ EP. The ‘Still’ EP is the follow up to last year’s double A side single ‘(still the) Horizon’ / ‘Afore (sun)’ and features four brand new tracks including the lead single ‘Over Blue’. Taking his surname from an Island off the West Coast of Scotland where he spent his childhood holidays, Cal Raasay is the moniker of songwriter, composer and producer Callum Lawson. He released his debut five track EP ’57 – 6′ in April last year which was the result of twelve months spent building a studio in his hometown of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Acclaimed by local press and featured on a number of playlists, the EP was also picked up by radio and was played by Nick Roberts at BBC Introducing North East and BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq. A quick follow up, the aforementioned ‘(still the) Horizon’ / ‘Afore (sun)’ single, arrived just a month later and the sparser and more reflective sound of the two songs saw him compared to artists such as Nils Frahm and Bon Iver.
‘Over Blue’ is a beautiful elegant piece of work that twinkles and glides with a grandeur and finesse that is mesmerising. Inspired by the recent purchase of his first piano from a lady in Scarborough, the music here attempts to capture Raasay’s deep exploration of the sounds and differing textures from said keyed instrument. The piano glistens and drifts in a floaty dreamy manner oozing depth and warmth while the flickering sweet trills add a fairy-like magical quality to the piece as the melody twists between melancholy and menace to great effect. It’s an entrancing majestic piece that feels wholesome and pure with rich depths and sweet tones.
To coincide with the release of his new EP, Newcastle based producer, Cal Raasay will play a special live date on Saturday the 19th of May 2018. He will perform three half hour solo piano performances from 7pm at Bamburgh House Arts Centre as part of ‘The Late Shows’ culture crawl in Newcastle over the weekend of 18th – 19th May for more see here https://thelateshows.org.uk/
Stream ‘Over Blue’ below
