Paul McLaney - 2026 - Exegesis

(46:00; Paul McLaney)

I have known Paul McLaney for some years now, primarily through Gramsci, but he has also worked with other artists as well as being an author. This album is the first in a series which he plans to release solely through Bandcamp as opposed to making it available through the normal streaming services, hoping to not only maximise revenue but also that those interested will listen to the album in its entirety in the order in which it is supposed to be played (the person who invented shuffle is just behind those who invented autotune and programmed drums on my personal hitlist).

This instrumental release is comprised of two lengthy pieces, each in excess of 20 minutes, which falls somewhere between the fields of classical, chamber, ambient and progressive. The main instrumentation is acoustic guitars and piano, but there are also  glockenspiels, Mellotrons, celestas and organs, and we are taken on a journey which feels relaxed but with purpose. Almost as if we are gently bobbing in a river with the water gently taking us in a direction which is beyond our control as we literally go with the flow. There is a beauty within this album, which is intensely powerful, as this is music which liberates our mind, allowing us to travel wherever we will, nothing is rushed, and everything is slowed down, lulling us not into sleep but into a state where our mind is opened. 

Melodies are brought in, repeated or transformed, and I cannot help but think of ‘Tubular Bells’ and Roger Eno’s remarkable ‘Fragile’ (it is a travesty that he is often thought of primarily as Brian’s brother as opposed to being a compelling musician in his own right). There is something about this album which brings together those two major works in a way which is significant and powerful. Delicate, yet with a core of steel, this a beautiful release which is so very different to our reality, and we are better for having been in its embrace. 

Kev Rowland, July 2026

Links:
http://www.paulmclaney.com/