The Observatory Album Launch Concert - Blank Walls
Press Release
Blank Walls is The Observatory’s second album after Time of Rebirth. This new album will be officially released on 2 September 2005, marked by a launch concert that same evening at 9.30pm at Esplanade Recital Studio.
The production of Blank Walls was carried out over an intensive period of 4 months, by the band members themselves, who are currently in the final stages of mixing and mastering their album at Duper in Norway with producer Jørgen Træen. Local sound artist and designer, Yuen Chee Wai, contributed the idea for this album’s design and concept.
The release of The Observatory's sophomore album Blank Walls marks the maturity of a group in their attempt to venture beyond current trends and radio playability. Blank Walls is the product of a year of extensive musical experimentation, recording, arranging and creating music amongst six musicians, of whom the latest member to join is drummer Adam Shah, who adds a new intensity to the band’s second album and plays an indispensable role in the rhythm section. The strongest desire expressed by the band was to produce a second album that does not mirror the first. Instead of creating an album of songs sharing a similar stylistic vein, Blank Walls is deliberately loose, eschewing particular themes or genres. The result is a diverse, experimental palette of words, sonic layering, and musical contrasts. The subject matter spans equally varied themes from anger to disenchantment, from the quaint and humorous to self-mockery or plain indignation. The tension, both musical and lyric-wise, seems more palpable now than before.
The launch of Blank Walls will feature a 75-minute concert showcasing material from the group’s full-length follow-up. The album will be available in all major and independent stores from 1 September onwards.
Since the band’s debut Time of Rebirth was released in March 2004, The Observatory has gone on to perform in major festivals such as Baybeats 2004 in Singapore, as well as regional music events in Malaysia and Thailand, the most recent of which was The Pattaya Music Festival. The band were invited to stage their own performances at The Esplanade Theatre Studio for two nights in July last year as well as a prestigious opening performance for Chicago music group, Tortoise, as part of the Mosaic Festival last March. They most recently performed in the ‘Rock On Singapore’ event as part of this year’s Singapore Arts Festival. They particularly relished their collaboration with local filmmaker Royston Tan, in a mixed-media project that gave the band the rare opportunity to score the soundtrack to his short film The Absentee as well as the opening set to Tan’s charity showcase held earlier this year in March.
Follow-up plans include distribution plans for South-East Asia and Japan as well as more live performances in and around the region. Special dates have been set for performances in festivals such as Urbanscapes 2005 to be held in Kuala Lumpur and the famous Fat Festival in Bangkok later this year.
The Blank Walls album launch concert on 2 September 2005 is supported by the Arts Fund and National Arts Council and presented in collaboration with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
Description of Event:
2 September 2005, Friday
Esplanade Recital Studio
9.30pm – 10.45pm - Full Band Performance of Album Songs
Ticket Sales:
Tickets for launch concert at $20 per entry through SISTIC’s Authorised Agents and Hotline from 25 July onwards.
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