SHOLTO - Letting Go of Forever
Following the success of 2023’s ‘The Changing Tides of Dreams’, SHOLTO shares his debut double LP ‘Letting Go of Forever’ .
‘Letting Go Of Forever’ is an ambitious, 26-track project that pulls from the worlds of jazz, soul, kraut rock, and 60s & 70s soundtracks, spanning influences ranging from Piero Umiliani & David Axelrod, through to ‘On The Corner’-era Miles Davis and Mozart’s ‘Lacrimosa’. SHOLTO’s ability to channel these influences - recontextualising musical forms spanning over a hundred years and capturing a retro, analogue feel with a contemporary twist - is beautifully reflective of the record’s main theme. He shares: “The concept of letting go has always struck me as a painfully natural ritual, yet mastering its art is filled with complexities and anguish. Some may find it morbid, but to me, it's beautifully freeing - letting go of the notion that anything should be forever ultimately brings immense relief. Confronted by the deaths of friends, loved ones, and the breakdown of relationships, I've come to realize that everything is transient, just passing through.”
Cooked up in his studio in Hackney, London, but dreamt up on international escapades - stormy train rides from Milan to Liguria, or packed into cars and vans as a touring musician (Confidence Man) and producer (Katy J Pearson, Sunglasses For Jaws) - the album sees Oscar reignite his relationship with several of the musicians who added their unique flavour to his debut EP, whilst inviting new collaborators to build out the SHOLTO dreamscape. The standout core of the band across the album includes Oscar on drums, the crisp bass tones of Syd Kemp, and an other-worldly combination of James Larter’s twinkling vibraphone, Clementine Brown’s breath-taking string arrangements and the cascading harp of Rachel Horton Kitchlew.
Early singles ‘For The Love of Stripes’ and ‘Ligurian Storm’ create a mystical atmosphere through sweeping orchestrations, delicate, percussive loops and choral pads, whilst ‘Tell Me Myths’ sees SHOLTO invite Australian songwriter and painter Elle Músa for his first vocal feature – a clever blend of French and English that explores the concept of ‘never letting the truth get in the way of a good story’. ‘Moki’ is a sentimental, string-led dedication to Don Cherry’s wife Moki, reflecting her artistic aesthetic and playfulness, and ‘Love Lagoon’ dives headfirst into the world of psychedelia, as swirling synths and swooning vocals transport listeners on a journey from dark to light. Oscar shares: “Love Lagoon started from exploring a reoccurring nightmare that turned into a haven of tranquillity. I dreamed I was being chased, by an unidentifiable presence, and just as it is about to catch up with me, I’d stumble through this bush of bracken and enter into the most serene still, peaceful clearing in the world.”
Oscar’s music career began in 2013, when a record deal took him to LA, leading to him working with producers like Nick Waterhouse (Allah-Las) before returning to the UK and collaborating with the likes of Inflo (Cleo Sol), and Dan Carey (Wet Leg, Squid). He is also one half of production duo Sunglasses For Jaws. His writing style is inspired by soundtrack composers from the 1950s-1970s, and he sits alongside soulful-soundtrack contemporaries like The Cinematic Orchestra, Robohands and The Ironsides. 2023’s ‘The Changing Tides Of Dreams’ introduced listeners to his world of psychedelic-infused, euphoric arrangements, drawing on disciplines from the world of film & classical music, as well as jazz and experimental arrangement techniques.
