Due for release on 2nd September, on his forthcoming third album ‘Stellar Drifting’, George FitzGerald unveils a record of wide-eyed wonder and emotion, filled with glistening melodies and iridescent electronics. A genuine progression in both scope and composition, the album stands up as one of our time’s great works of atmospheric electronic music with its feet on the dancefloor, but its heart 1000 miles above the earth itself. With the introduction of new single “Cold”, George FitzGerald opens the chapter on what is his grandest and most conceptual statement so far.
Addressing the need to confront one’s inner world and escape the sense of restriction, ‘Stellar Drifting’ is FitzGerald’s interpretation of the sound of complete freedom. To explore this sense of life without boundaries, FitzGerald has turned to space for inspiration, forming the building blocks of the album from space images and audio from space probes. This highly conceptual approach has not dulled FitzGerald’s songwriting abilities however, with previously released single ‘Ultraviolet‘ providing an early preview of the album’s effervescent burst of light. The record also integrates some of the world’s most intriguing performers and songwriters, with Irish Mercury nominee SOAK lending vocals to ‘Rainbows and Dreams’, Animal Collective figurehead Panda Bear adding a poetic bounce to “Passed Tense” and London Grammar returning the favour after FitzGerald’s work on their UK #1 album ‘Californian Soil’ with ‘The Last Transmission’. It’s with new single ‘Cold’ however, where FitzGerald unveils his most immediately accessible moment to date.
A supernova of dizzying drums and fizzing synths, ‘Cold’ utilises an instantly memorable vocal line to immerse the listener in a sonic shooting star. Moments of true peace punctuate the track, while the track’s skittering, UK garage inspired percussive line propels ‘Cold’ further into the stratosphere. It’s a prime example of how FitzGerald has taken his source material and transposed it into something momentous – a composition that’s able to take the listener to another world while offering up some of FitzGerald’s most immediate moments.
George FitzGerald has been a preeminent figure in electronic music for over a decade, keeping one foot in the underground and one in the mainstream. He was at the cutting edge of the UK scene when he worked at London’s iconic Black Market Records, then spending a decade in Berlin releasing on revered labels like Aus and Hotflush Recordings, before signing to Domino and transitioning from club producer to album artist. Two critically acclaimed albums followed, 2015’s ‘Fading Love’ and 2018’s ‘All That Must Be’, featuring collaborations with the likes of Bonobo and Tracey Thorn and elevating his sound to a more atmospheric and worldwide status.
‘Stellar Drifting’ will be available on CD, LP and Deluxe LP. The Deluxe LP is on limited clear vinyl and includes a bonus 12” including exclusive track “Venera” on Side A and 16 locked grooves on Side B, also on clear vinyl.
You can pre-order ‘Stellar Drifting’ here.
