For all the lovelorn out there, Valentine’s Day sees the release of a long-awaited album from a talented young local.
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Ricky Bloomfield stepped away from his country rock covers band the Radars to pen a self-titled debut.
It is having an exclusive premiere launch on Wednesday, February 14, via DME3, the music streaming service designed and created by Brogo’s Nathan Johnston.
The album then goes out for general release via iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and so on.
Bloomfield said it’s a breakaway from his usual sound, with a “pop-rock band-driven album including synths”.
“The album is a love cycle,” he said.
“It starts a bit poppy on the party scene, boy meets girl, they commit to each other, cracks start to appear and the relationship falls apart, which is when you find yourself in a strange limbo.
“You kind of reflect on that.
“Sometimes you can do that cycle in a day – sometimes you don’t ever get that far through it.”
On second thought, perhaps not a Valentine’s Day gift!
READ MORE: Ricky Bloomfield announces debut album
The album was recorded in Sydney and mixed mostly at the Merimbula School of Music, where Bloomfield is owner and teacher.
Dave Tweedie provides the bass tracks, with Gordon Rytmeister on drums. Bloomfield himself plays 14 different guitars, synthesisers and lead vocals on the all-original material.
It was produced by ARIA-winning music engineer Peter Holz, of Peking Duck, Gang of Youths and Vance Joy fame.
“We finished the final mix after Christmas, and experimented with it. Then we ended up running the full thing through DAT which was new to me but kind of exciting,” Bloomfield said.
“I read an article saying Dr Dre puts all his mixes through DAT, so I was curious. It gives it a more dynamic sound.”
Keep an ear out for some local cameos on the album, including Leif Helland on strings.
Bloomfield said he also has two of his School of Music students performing back up vocals on one of the tracks.
The first single off the album, Strut, is being released as a video clip later this week, and is one to definitely look out for.
Meanwhile, Bloomfield said the second video clip to be released, for When I Found You, will be entirely filmed around the Jellat Jellat flat.
Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
