Double Geography
Open Water
- Record Label
- Invisible, Inc.
About this item
Invisible Inc once again presents another incredible full-length album from the talented Double Geography. Following on from 2020's “The Indoor Gardener”, the new LP “Open Water” is bathed in a similar blissful atmosphere...it would be appropriate to describe it as rather sublime.
Double Geography aka Duncan Thornley (one half of Weird Weather and studio engineer at MAP Studios), following the success of his debut album “The Indoor Gardener” (also on Invisible Inc) had sent Invisible Inc label boss GK Machine demos of his second and third album, which the label reluctantly declined on the basis that the music didn't sound quite right for the label. However, this fourth studio album fits the bill perfectly. Leaning towards the label's more ambient and laidback output, the album is themed around water, moving on and escape and sounds as unshackled and free-flowing as you'd expect...you can almost feel the breeze in the air and the sun on your skin.
The album is a progression from his previous releases, this time featuring several additional guest musicians, including stalwarts of the London jazz scene Greg Foat and Kaidi Akinnibi, to compliment Thornley's electronics...adding a complexity and depth to each of these compositions and an overall 'organic' quality that makes these new pieces sound like quite a departure from the first album. Fretless bass, clarinet, piano and saxophone decorate the music with refrains and melodies that have been enchanting our reveries since first hearing them.
“I wanted to incorporate some live musicians on this release so called upon some of the talent I'd worked with as an engineer at MAP Studios...that was the main drive behind the music for this release. The tracks are named after things that relate to either leaving behind canal boat living, e.g. Goodbye Great Escape (Great Escape was the name of our boat) or memories from a trip to Hydra, Greece. All sorta water related… On one of our walks around the island we ended up sharing a beach with Pierluigi Collina hence Famous Italian Referee! That track felt like the weirdest of the bunch so it got designated the weirdest name / memory!” (Duncan Thornley, March 2024)
Duncan Thornley - synthesizers, programming, percussion
Adam Hayes - drum kit, roto-toms (A1, A3, A5)
Pike Ogilvy - congas (A2, A3)
Jasper Osbourne - fretless bass (A1, A3, A5)
Kaidi Akinnibi - tenor and soprano saxophones (A1, A5)
Simeon May - bass clarinet (A2, A3, B2, B4)
Greg Foat - piano (B1)
Recorded and mixed at MAP Studios, London
Mastered by James Savage at Milk Mastering
Cyanotype photography by Lydia Dique
Sleeve layout and design by Gordon Mackinnon
STAFF COMMENTS
Matt says: Another highly accomplished project AnR'd by the impeccable Invisible, Inc. label. Double Geography explore new age flora, DSP dreamscapes and enchanted chug on deep diving LP to get suitably horizontal for.
TRACK LISTING
A1. Goodbye Great Escape
A2 . Rotating Sun Thing
A3. Famous Italian Referee
A4. Late Night Swimmer
A5. Facing South
B1. Sleep On The Bow
B2. Prophet Elias Monastery
B3. Open Water
B4. The Return Leg