Strange Vacation [LP] (Aquamarine Vinyl)

Ewan Currie - Strange Vacation [LP] (Aquamarine Vinyl)

Some records are born under pressure-tight studio schedules, looming deadlines, and the constraints of collaboration. Others are shaped by exploration, the freedom to play, and the time to refine. Ewan Currie's sophomore solo album, Strange Vacation, is the latter: a record made without urgency, where every instrument in the studio was fair game, every part rewritten until it felt just right, and every decision made in the name of curiosity. While Currie takes the reins on most of the instrumentation, he called in longtime friends when a particular moment demanded a specialist's touch, crafting an album that feels both intimate and expansive. ''Recording is so crazy cause, like I've recorded so many different ways, and constantly I'm like 'Oh, this is how I have to do it, or no, this is how I have to do it!' And I've just accepted now that there are different ways to do it and trying to be open to possibilities and pick my spots,'' Currie says. A collection of songs both new and reimagined, Strange Vacation stretches from the introspective, soul-searching tones of his debut Out of My Mind to the offbeat and carefree energy of tracks like ''Some People Think That I'm High'' and ''Crazy Streets.'' Rooted in timeless songwriting but unafraid to break convention, Currie traverses genres and traditions with ease, embracing a broad sonic palette. Acting as co-producer along with longtime collaborator Thom D'Arcy, he expanded his creative reach, experimenting with synths, textures, and production techniques that push beyond his previous work. ''When we started making it for real, we were experimenting with drum sounds, and that really set the tone. We got crisp drum sounds with big reverb and it was like oh, this is the level of exploration we're engaging in on this, so each song was a journey of finding a cool sound that fit that song specifically,'' Currie explains. Tracklist Big Pine Key So Many People Just Me Strange Vacation Some People Think That I'm High Have You Got My Love? Crazy Streets I'm In Love For The First Time King Leopold's Ghost Far Away What Keeps You Running Little Pine Key Picture Me