Downes Braide Association (DBA) announce the release of their new album Halcyon Hymns. The CD/DVD is out on 5th February 2021, and 2LP White Vinyl edition on 26th March 2021.
Halcyon Hymns will be the fifth DBA collaboration and follows their previous critically-acclaimed studio albums Pictures of You (2012), Suburban Ghosts (2015) and Skyscraper Souls (2017). The duo have also released Live In England (2019) recorded at their first ever concert at Trading Boundaries, East Sussex, in 2018.
Following two more successful and enjoyable evenings at Trading Boundaries in February of 2020, Geoff Downes returned to Wales and his projects while Chris Braide returned to LA and struggled to find motivation with the unfolding events in a world of lockdown. Inspiration would return following a call from a close friend.
“Marc Almond suggested I ‘get stuck into another DBA record’ to lift the malaise,” say Braide. “Somehow It was hard to muster any enthusiasm for it. We had all been so upbeat at the recent shows and now here we were in a collective, creative void. It’s odd the way inspiration strikes though and it never ceases to delight and surprise me when the muse comes to play and it can happen at any time and without warning.
“I opened up a folder of new DBA ideas Geoff (Downes) had sent to me a while back and which I’d listened to briefly and had made a note to do something with them at a later date. I can’t say why it happened but one day in the studio as I listened to the bits and pieces of ideas suddenly the songs started tumbling out as if by magic. I’m not exaggerating or being melodramatic. These new songs sounded like personal reflections, they just wrote themselves. It was so easy, so enjoyable and so meant to be. Like a gift.”
A few words from Geoff: “It was so great to witness Chris’s creativity making my fundamental ideas come alive. He took the bare bones of melodies, harmonies and textures I sent him, and somehow crafted these into something way beyond my expectations or imagination. ‘Love Among The Ruins’ is one of the many examples on the album of his rare genius at work.”
Love Among The Ruins is a delightful and uplifting love song, reflecting memories and tributes of a long lost halcyon time in life.
Halcyon Hymns also features contributions by Marc Almond (ex-Soft Cell) and David Longdon (Big Big Train).
The CD/DVD package also includes video footage of legendary artist Roger Dean’s painting sessions as he creates the album cover artwork for Halcyon Hymns together with lyric videos for three tracks from the album.
Halcyon Hymns track listing
Disc 1
01. Love Among The Ruins
02. King Of the Sunset
03. Your Heart Will Find The Way
04. Holding The Heavens
05. Beachcombers
06. Warm Summer Sun
07. Today
08. Hymn To Darkness
09. She’ll Be Riding Horses
10. Late Summer
11. Remembrance
12. Epilogue
Disc 2: DVD
01. Roger Dean Painting Sessions
02. Love Among The Ruins
03. Your Heart Will Find A Way
04. Today
About Downes Braide Association
Downes Braide Association was formed as a studio-based project by Geoff Downes and Chris Braide and has now produced three studio albums: Pictures Of You (2012), Suburban Ghosts (2015) and Skyscraper Souls (2017) and a live album Live In England (2019). The project draws on Downes’ and Braide’s rich musical heritage to create a delightfully accessible brand of progressive rock.
Keyboard wizard Geoff Downes was thrust into the limelight with the worldwide success of Video Killed The Radio Star in 1979. The single topped the charts chart in 16 countries for The Buggles duo of Geoff and Trevor Horn (vocals, bass guitar). They briefly joined prog legends YES before Downes became a founder member of the supergroup Asia with YES guitarist Steve Howe, ELP drummer Carl Palmer and the late John Wetton (vocals, bass guitar).
The Wetton-Downes composition Heat Of The Moment became a world-wide hit in 1982 heralding many years of success for Asia with their FM radio-friendly brand of rock. Downes later rejoined YES in 2011 and remains with the band alongside Steve Howe.
British singer-songwriter-pianist Chris Braide has recently returned to UK shores after many years based in California. He enjoys enormous success writing and producing music for film scores, advertising campaigns and working closely with artists including Sia, Lana Del Rey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears and Marc Almond.
DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION Release New Album Skyscraper Souls Feat. Guest Appearances By Andy Partridge (XTC), Marc Almond and Kate Pierson (B52s)! OUT NOW!
Front cover artwork is by Roger Dean!
London – Super-duo Geoff Downes & Chris Braide, known as the Downes Braide Association (DBA), release their new album Skyscraper Souls on 17th November through their own label X2X Records via Cherry Red. This is their 3rd collaboration and follows their two previous critically-acclaimed releases Pictures of You (2012) and Suburban Ghosts (2015).
Both members have an immense body of work. Chris Braide is a British singer, songwriter and producer, now based in LA, who has written and produced songs for Beyonce, Lana del Rey, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, David Guetta, Sia, Afrojack & Marc Almond… to name a few. Geoff Downes is the prog legend who has played keyboards in The Buggles, Asia & Yes… he co-wrote the hits “Heat of the Moment” and “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
Skyscraper Souls is a more traditional progressive/classic rock/band album than their previous material, but retains a strong pop aesthetic and features many great guest contributions, including Marc Almond, Andy Partridge from XTC and Kate Pierson from the B52s. The front cover artwork is by Roger Dean.
The idea for the album started as a series of sketches Geoff had been working on after a break from touring last year. By the time he returned from the road he directed the subsequent pent-up energy into composition and the ideas literally poured out. As a kid, Chris had always loved expansive pieces like “Close To The Edge” and “Tubular Bells.” While he is a huge pop fan and has written multitudes of pop hits for pop stars, his heart has a special place for those big studio epic productions.
On this album, Downes & Braide were joined by drummer Ash Soan (Trevor Horn, Squeeze, Faithless, Del Amitri, Adele, Cee Lo Green, Will Young, Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow and many more) and bassist Andy Hodge. Chris says, “Having such an amazing rhythm section really brought the songs to life. With previous albums we always used drum machines and samples. There is so much warmth and movement in these recordings. They breathe!”
The fact that their ‘association’ has always had to fit around their extensive commitments has never dulled their remarkable musical creativity. This album went a step further and was co-written remotely – at no time were the pair ever in the same room! Chris explains, “Geoff would send me folders full of stuff such as the magnificent piano pieces which turned into ‘Glacier Girl’ and ‘Prelude.’ As soon as I heard the chords I was writing lyrics like a mad man and before long the album started to materialize.” Geoff adds, “The ideas themselves were in a very rough format, but with the melodies & basic harmonies. Chris started playing around with these, and often, they came back with some radical changes, but Chris was always very conscious to retain my original idea.”
The pair feel Skyscraper Souls is their strongest album to date, which is no mean feat! This album contains constant motifs and themes that recur and flow throughout. Keeping strong melodies to the fore they have created a wonderfully interesting soundscape.
Track list as follows:
Prelude (ft Andy Partridge – XTC)
Skyscraper Souls (ft Kate Pierson – B52s)
Glacier Girl (ft Andy Partridge)
Angel On Your Shoulder (ft Matthew Koma)
Tomorrow (ft David Longdon – Big Big Train)
Lighthouse (ft Tim Bowness)
Skin Deep (ft Marc Almond)
Darker Times (ft Andy Partridge)
Outside of DBA Downes and Braide remain in high demand.
Geoff has been pretty much flat out touring the world with Yes and Asia for the last few years. Any breaks have been filled up with other projects, including putting together some new Buggles ideas with Trevor (Horn). He is also writing film and library music.
Chris has been writing music for movies in LA, the most recent being a new animation called LEAP. He wrote “UNSTOPPABLE” for the Olympics with the artist SIA and has co-written and produced the new single for DJ Robin Schulz. He also wrote and produced a new Marc Almond album, due out next year as well as Marc’s next single “Embers.” He produced a single for Elle King for a big ad campaign featuring Kendal Jenner, and is currently scoring a movie soundtrack at his studio in LA. He has written a song for Trevor Horn called “Sky Show” for an animation he was working on. With more new ventures, Chris has had no break this year, but wouldn’t have it any other way.
The members of ASIA have the following titles out ahead of a return to band activities in 2016. The band wishes its fans the best for the festive season and will be outlining future plans in a forthcoming announcement.
Geoff Downes’ DBA project with Chris Braide has released its second album, Suburban Ghosts, which follows on from the critically acclaimed Pictures of You. Chris Braide has written and produced for many artists including Sia, Lana Del Rey, David Guetta, Afrojack and recently produced Marc Almond’s album The Velvet Trail.
John Wetton’s Live via Satellite collects together both of Wetton’s acoustic solo concerts for radio broadcasts. The XM radio broadcast was an official website only title over 10 years ago and has never had a commercial release. The Swedish radio broadcast (previously unreleased) was thought lost in a fire, until a duplicate of the master tapes was found thanks to a long and tireless search by Wetton’s fans.
Carl Palmer’s “Twist of the Wrist” and “The Rhythm of Light” collections are the first two in a series of signed and numbered prints on canvas featuring stunning visual images constructed from his unique drum performances. Working with acclaimed L.A. art team SceneFour, the artwork featured within combine motion, color, and lighting into some of the most compelling fine art visuals ever created. A career first, Carl Palmer has co-authored a comprehensive book about his fine art collections. Titled “Art in Rhythm: The Artwork of Carl Palmer,” the First Edition of the book is now available to collectors worldwide exclusively from:
Sam Coulson has released the first solo album of his career, Electric Classical, which features his interpretation of various classical pieces, entirely played on guitar. The album features some well-known and no so well-known pieces all played in his unique style for classical and rock fans alike.
GIVE THE GIFT OF ASIA FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND SAVE BIG!!!
Check out our BLACK FRIDAY sale all month at the original ASIA gift shop!
ALL REMAINING ASIA T-SHIRTS 50% OFF!!
ASIA CDs, DVDs, signed posters and lithos, and other items 30% OFF (while supplies last)!
Geoff Downes is pleased to announce that his ongoing creative relationship with Chris Braide (writer and producer for Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Sia, David Guetta and Marc Almond and many others) has led to another studio album, Suburban Ghosts.
This follows on from the successful and critically acclaimed debut album, Pictures of You, which surprised reviewers and fans alike.
Suburban Ghosts can be pre-ordered on CD via Amazon, ahead of its 6th November 2015 release date, using this link http://geni.us/19bE and Pictures of You continues to be available via this link http://geni.us/3BUE.
Also due for release will be Greg Lake and Geoff Downes’ Ride the Tiger project, which is a collection of six songs (plus one alternate version), recorded in late 1989 – early 1990, which have never been released together before.Four of the songs appeared on Greg Lake’s From the Underground and From the Beginning: The Greg Lake Anthology compilations, but this set also includes the previously unreleased “Street War” and “Affairs of the Heart.”
This release includes all new artwork and has the full approval of both Greg Lake and Geoff Downes.
This title will be released on 27th November 2015 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon here: http://geni.us/1UEo.
This is a special edition clear blue vinyl EP from DBA created for Record Store Day (which takes place on April 19). The EP is called “Dreaming of England,” which is also one of two new songs on the five-song, 500 copy limited edition EP.
