Setting the tone with rolling drums and a vibrant, arpeggiated guitar soundscape with an alternative rock vibe, Aboukir opens Alright with philosophical depth and atmospheric vocals. Needless to say, we are immediately enamoured.
The opus expands with intentional prose as Aboukir, also known as artist Ralph Maruani, takes us on an expressive trip through his lived experience, laced with poetic prowess and harmonic dimensionality.
The creator cites Pink Floyd, David Crosby or Khruangbi as inspirations for the piece, but it is also abundantly clear that Aboukir is creating a universe of his own.
We learn that Alright is taken from Aboukir‘s upcoming album, Change, which is set for release later this year. The album was recorded between December 2022 and March 2023 in Paris, almost entirely by Maruani except for the drums which were recorded by Louis McGuire in Berlinand pedal steel by Reggie Duncan in Mississippi, USA.
The guitar performance is out of this world, and the outro of the track is sublime. The creator tells us that it was inspired by the Beatles’ Strawberry Fields inspired Mellotron and Stereolab aesthetic. It is no surprise that Aboukir and his bandmates are keen to hit the road with the new album, as they weren’t able to perform the first album, Digital Introversion, live due to the pandemic. Indeed, a quartet has been formed to present Change to the public, with a first concert in Paris on 16 December 2023 at POPUP!
We love what Aboukir is creating, and have added Alright to our New Music Spotlight playlist, as well as our brand new TIMELESS playlist, whilst we anticipate the release of Change in full!