Back in 2014 I wrote and recorded a concept album in my spare time (cough) at work - and I always hoped it would see the light of day as a physical format release. Thankfully, Mike at 30th Floor Records who signed the album was also keen to see this happen, although life took over and countless things happened in the meantime I'm pleased to say it's finally got a cassette release and it's available via the DATAStream Bandcamp page.
'Corruptopia' is a lot darker than any of the DATAStream releases that followed it, and was heavily inspired by prominent sounds from the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis games consoles and a number of film and television scores (you can even hear a bit of a Twin Peaks reference in the song 'Dark Arts'). At this point I'd really started getting into the wonders of FM synthesis and much of the instrumentation was recorded using my then newly aquired DX27 and DX7s synthesisers. I'd also just started recording guitar using Native Instruments Guitar Rig, so there's a fair bit of 'shredding' going on too.
I rarely have the funds to commission external freelancers to work on projects, but I felt the album needed a more eye-catching, cinematic design than my usual self-created efforts. After a bit of back and forth disccussion I was very lucky to have enlisted the help of Eric Hurley and Alexandre Lemoing who created the cover art and 'Corruptopia' logo identity, and I still love it 6 years later! I also embarked on creating my first promo teaser which you can check out below...
“The year is 2089, a once just and honest local authority has turned on its citizens, plunging them into a life of oppression and fear. Artistic expression is forbidden, yet those in power secretly negotiate and control its reach. Life within the borders is hard and many have given up hope of a better life, resigning themselves to work in the authority's vast headquarters as little more than drones. Art is the only currency and the authority will do whatever it takes to acquire every last piece. Will it always be this way? Or will someone take a stand on the mean streets of Corruptopia...”
I'd like to say a big thank you to Mike at 30th Floor for supporting the album and releasing it back on his label in 2014, and for helping promote and share my work ever since. If you're interested in a copy of the tape, there are only 20 so I'm not sure how long they'll last, but I can say they sound GREAT. Each tape is dubbed in realtime using my trusty Pioneer deck and it does a pretty superb job.
Thanks for reading, Martyn