“Lonely Deckchair”, the latest release on Ibiza-based label, NuNorthern Soul, aims to musically document a momentous family trip. Over the course of 10 tracks, the artist – Andrew Wright – invites us to join him as he travels with his young children to an Aguadulce idyll where he himself holidayed as a kid. 

This is the album’s premise, a return to innocence, a world full of wonder and possibility. Creating new memories, while revisiting the old. Song titles refer to not only the locale, but favourite dishes – “Pulpo Dreams” – preferred beers – “Alhambra Space Station” – and pastimes – kayaking on “Caminante del Agua (Water Walker)”, and computer games on “Rayman’s Kingdom”. 

The music comes in chimes, sighs, picked, strummed and plucked patterns. Mapping, ambient interludes, synthesised pastorals and new age-y marriages of electronica and traditional folk melodies. Orchestras, ouds, congas, bongos and bleeps. Shoegaze shimmering is set to the beat of a beach drum circle. 

The productions pack in plenty of field recordings: birdsong, surf, children’s laughter and chatter. In keeping with the long-player’s steeped-in-nostalgia flavour, the latter lends “Adaflo” the vibe of A Man Called Adam’s Cafe del Mar sunset classic, “Estelle”. Continuing this reminiscing, “Carr’s Dub” has pianos play anthem riffs, softly, like yesterday’s rave remembered. The tender, sweet, romantic “Warren’s Apology” is “Smokebelch II”-esque.

“Lonely Deckchair” can be ordered directly from NuNorthern Soul, where you can also sign up for a listening party that takes place on July 23rd. 

I can personally attest to the fact that this is a project / package that both the artist and label founder, Phil Cooper, have put a lot of care into.