With my return to Warrington and Runcorn, the music began to reflect the social isolation of New Towns life. Its creation mirrored this through two years of pandemic lockdown.
The music is perhaps the loneliest and most spacious I have created so far – the Open Spaces in the album title taking on multiple interpretations. The focus and feel of the album are not inspired by the architecture of new towns but by the lives lived in them. I think the precise planning of new towns and the creation of specific zones for different activities – working, shopping and living – created an artificial way of life. One that failed to understand the sheer messiness of human existence.
Musically, the canvas is more epic than before. The first side comprises two epic tracks, and the second side introduces Euclidean sequencing to create disorientating evolving melodies.
Chapman-Fox continues to find wonder in his exploration of new towns and their impact on the lives and minds who worked and lived there. His Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan output has reached far and wide and garnered incredible responses from fans and critics worldwide. Resonating with new town locals, architects, designers and anyone who appreciates beautifully constructed, evocative electronic compositions. The sound palette is expanded to a wonderful effect in this new release.