Fresh from Roxy Music’s live reunion at Lovebox and other selected festivals, Bryan Ferry returns with a new solo album. The record is named ‘Olympia’ after a painting by 19th century French impressionist master Edouard Manet. Kate Moss helps the artwork to maintain the aura of glamour the most elegant front man in rock history has always flaunted.
‘Olympia’ comprises ten new tracks and benefits from an eclectic range of high profile guests, including the likes of Chic’s Nile Rogers, Red Hot Chilli Peppers Flea, Primal Scream’s Mani and Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood. If that wasn’t enough; Scissor Sisters, Groove Armada and Dave Gilmour are also added to the impressive cast list. Another big surprise is the studio gathering with all his old Roxy Music pals: Phil Manzanera, Andy McKay and Brian Eno – who personally hasn’t recorded anything with the band since 1973. Eno is also about to release his brand new work, ‘Small Craft on A Milk Sea’ through Warp records.
The first thing that catches our attention in the tracklist is a cover of Tim Buckley’s seminal classic ‘Song To The Siren’, which has already inspired many excellent versions, like the one early 4AD ‘supergroup’ This Mortal Coil turned into an all-time indie favourite. You can listen to Ferry and friends’ rendition via Stereogum.
‘Olympia’ is released in October 25 through Virgin in the UK – one day later in the States via Astralwerks.
The pairing of DJ Hell, one of the pioneers of Berlin’s electronic scene and a genuine dance music icon, and ex Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry may well be an unlikely pairing, but it appears to have produced a pretty spectacular musical offering in the shape of ‘U Can Dance’. An interpretation of an unreleased Bryan Ferrysong, ‘U Can Dance’ reflects a perfect melding of two distinct musical personalities.
Hell has been riding high on the success of ‘Teufelswer’, his highly rated double album that’s delivered some fruitful sonic experiments, club bombs and even some moments of controversy after allegations of plagiarism followed a recent collaboration with P Diddy. Ferry, meanwhile, has been as busy as ever—recording a new album, performing in places as far afield as Siberia, opening up the Cannes Film Festival…basically just being Bryan Ferry. Ferry may seem like an unexpected fan of dance, but he’s been going to clubs since he was a teenager, and in his lengthy career he’s worked with legends such as Nile Rodgers of Chic and David Williams from Michael Jackson’s band. As he said in a recent interview, “It’s always a pleasure to work with people from that genre, who follow a singular groove.”
Added to the spectacular original, remixes come from the irrepressible Detroit legend Carl Craig, London electro boffins Simian Mobile Disco and left of centre New Yorker Tim Goldsworthy. Already causing a great deal of interest from both fans of electronic music and cerebral pop music, ‘U Can Dance’ is sure to be frequently popping up in playlists of those in the know over the next coming months.
