Voyager

by Paul Epworth

Overview

After decades crafting some of England's biggest post-Y2K releases, Grammy-winning musician Paul Epworth made his official solo debut in 2020 with the lush interstellar journey Voyager. Unlike his work with pop and alternative acts like Adele, Florence + the Machine, Coldplay, and Bloc Party, the electronic-based LP finds Epworth drifting through space with an inspired crew of guests from the worlds of hip-hop and R&B. This cross-genre hybrid finds inspiration in '70s soul and funk, as well as in the synth-scapes of Jean-Michel Jarre and Wendy Carlos, which results in a wondrous dose of future nostalgia that sounds like Gorillaz tackling Daft Punk's Random Access Memories or Pharrell Williams given free rein on Calvin Harris' Funk Wav Bounces. Imaginative and atmospheric, Voyager is best experienced in a single go, a headphone-friendly trip that expands the mind and gets the head nodding. Outside of the jazzy exploration of the instrumental title track, the album mostly relies on its guest stars, who shine with this fresh electronic material that falls outside of their usual wheelhouses. Vince Staples delivers a typically engaging verse on the uplifting opener "Mars & Venus," while Ty Dolla $ign lends a subtle and haunting touch to the hypnotic "Cosmos," which sounds like a Frank Ocean/Travis Scott collaboration in the best way imaginable. Lyrical emcee Kool Keith twists and turns through the intergalactic "Distant Planets," a gospel-backed cut that rides a steady beat along a distorted synth line that could be Epworth's interpretation of Martian G-funk. Meanwhile, vocalists Bibi Bourelly and Lianne La Havas elevate their respective cuts, balancing the wealth of bars with sung vocals. While these well-known names give Voyager immediate street cred, the album MVPs are actually rising rapper Ishmael and singer Elle Yaya, who both make multiple contributions across the effort and steal the show on "Mars & Venus" and "Binaural Trip." Elsewhere, Epworth allows them to fully take the spotlight on the robust "Hyperspace," the boom-bap funk of "Space Inc.," and the trippy "Where Do We Come From?" While it might seem like there's a little too much going on here, the top-notch production, artistic collaboration, and devotion to the space-age vibe results in a satisfying and unexpected gem. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date:	09/18/2020
Label:	Columbia
UPC:	0190759862919

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Mars & Venus
2. Hyperspace
3. OBX
4. Transmission
5. Voyager
6. Cosmos
7. Distant Planets

Disc 2

8. The Eternal Now
9. Binaural Trip
10. Twenty Second Century
11. Love Galaxy
12. Time & Space
13. Where Do We Come From?
14. Space Inc.
15. Epilogue

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Paul Epworth   Primary Artist,Tone Generator,Moog Synthesizer,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background),Sampling,Jupiter 6,Mellotron,Drums,Piano,Congas,Guitar,Keytar,Putney,Vocals,Jupiter,Vocoder,Mini Moog,Percussion,Arp Odyssey,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass),Oberheim Obxa
Ruban Nielson   Vocals (Background)
Glass Animals   Vocals (Background)
Hannah Reid   Vocals (Background)
Noreen Stewart   Vocals (Background)
Laura Leon   Vocals (Background)
Bibi Bourelly   Vocals,Featured Artist
Riley Maclntyre   Mellotron
Billy Halliday   Percussion,Synthesizer
Luke Pickering   Mellotron,Synthesizer
Cartell Green-Brown   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Zehra Lewis-Wright   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Christian Jamieson Idos   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Elle Yaya   Vocals,Featured Artist
Binaural Tones   Vocals
Kersha Besiley   Vocals (Background)
Monique Melissa Meaull   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Natalia Maddue   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Raiaela Crolua   Vocals (Background)
Rick Roster   Violin
Shanteh Fuller   Vocals (Background)
Jan-Ai Patience El-Goni   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Kool Keith   Vocals,Featured Artist
Ian Humphries   Violin
Ian Burdge   Cello
Lucy Wilkins   Violin
Rachel Robson   Viola
Lil Silva   Vocals,Featured Artist
Nikolaj Torplarsen   Bass,Piano,Keyboards,Mellotron,Phillycorda,Synthesizer,Fender Rhodes
Jay Electronica   Vocals,Featured Artist
Alison Dods   Violin
Max Baillie   Viola
Tom Pigott-Smith   Violin
Harry Edwards   Bass,Cello,Piano,Vocals,Jupiter,Marimba,Keyboards,Mellotron,Percussion,Synthesizer
Lianne La Havas   Vocals,Featured Artist
Pablo Tato   Guitar
Vince Staples   Vocals,Featured Artist
Mim Grey   Vocals (Background)
Ty Dolla $ign   Vocals,Featured Artist
Steve Pretty   Trumpet
Leo Taylor   Drums
Nick Sweeney   Violin
Steve Lewinson   Bass
Everton Nelson   Violin
Natalia Bonner   Violin
Dusty Springfield   Vocals
Sally Herbert   Conductor
Mike Dean   Keyboards,Moog Lead
Leon Larregui   Choir/Chorus
Dave Okumu   Bass,Guitar
Bruce White   Viola
Ishmael   Vocals,Featured Artist
Richard George   Violin
Chris Worsey   Cello
Pete Wareham   Saxophone

Technical Credits

TJ Carter   Composer
Bibi Bourelly   Composer
Riley Maclntyre   Effects,Composer,Engineer,Additional Production
Jessie Reyez   Composer
Tyler Page   Vocal Engineer
Elpadaro F. Electronica Allah   Composer
Luke Pickering   Engineer
Kwes Darko   Arranger
Jazon Kawu-Eugenio   Composer
Armin Lopez   Assistant
Matt Miggins   Engineer
Nixk Hook   Programming
Richard Palletier   Composer
Paul Epworth   Drum Programming,Synthesizer Arrangements,Generator,Effects,Composer,Feedback,Producer,Programming
Sun Ra   Composer
Andrew Dawson   Engineer
Nikolaj Torplarsen   Composer
Tyrone Griffin   Composer
Jeremiah Ryan   Composer
Alan Bergmen   Composer
Michael Thomas   Vocal Engineer
Anthony Evans   Contractor
Joshua Logan   Composer
James Apt   Composer
Harry Edwards   Effects,Composer,Producer,Programming,Sound Collage,Drum Programming,Additional Production
Lianne La Havas   Composer
Vince Staples   Composer,Engineer
Ruban Nielson   Composer
John Maclean   Composer
Everton Nelson   Leader
Sally Herbert   Composer,String Arrangements
Marilyn Bergman   Composer
Walt Whitman   Composer
Derek Watkins   Contractor,Choir Arrangement
Jerry Goldsmith   Composer
Michel Legrand   Composer
Mike Dean   Mixing,Composer,Mastering,Additional Production
Hans-Peter Lindstrom   Additional Production
Emil Nikolaisen   Additional Production
Trevor Jackson   Design,Art Direction