Eight pieces that began life as solo guitar études now form something far richer. London-based guitarist and composer Robin Katz has announced his new album ‘Hypnos,’ out May 29 via analog specialist label Gearbox Records, and the lead single “The Moon” is the first taste.
Katz roots his playing in jazz tradition while drawing from flamenco, bossa nova, neo-classical minimalism, funk, soul, and 90s hip-hop. He’s performed widely across the UK and collaborated with Disclosure, Reuben James, Georgia Cecile, Giacomo Smith, Kourosh Kanani, the London Django Collective, and Joseph Lawrence. His debut EP ‘Oceans for Eros,’ made with orchestrator Guy Barker, introduced his expansive voice, and his recent album ‘Rock Music’ was produced by FREEMONK.
‘Hypnos’ finds Katz at his most subtle, pairing deceptively intricate guitars with the new addition of Hammond organ, played by guest musician Nathaniel Ledwidge. The organ work runs against what most listeners associate with the instrument, adding a soulful, intimate counterpart to Katz’s poignant compositions. “The Moon” carries that out beautifully, with rolling, ruminative nylon finger-picked guitar lines dancing around ethereal organ swells, ebbing and flowing like the lunar tides.
“With Hypnos, I wanted to create something pared back and super simple,” Katz says. “These pieces were initially written as études for solo guitar, and they reflect the wide range of influences found in the music I love to listen to. A life spent listening to Django Reinhardt and Philip Glass!”
He continues on the organ choice: “The inclusion of the Hammond organ came from a desire to pair the nylon-string guitar with an instrument you don’t usually hear alongside it. For me, the Hammond evokes gospel and the classic organ trios of Wes Montgomery, it’s a soulful, funk sonic and very spiritual. It was a real blessing to have Nathaniel Ledwidge play Hammond on the record and to showcase the softer side of this iconic instrument.”
The album draws its name from Greek myth. “Hypnos is the Greek god of sleep, the father of Morpheus, the god of dreams,” Katz explains. “Is the music dreamy and hypnotic, a brief slumberous escape from the madness out there? I hope so.” The record arrives just after his recent cover of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence,” released on Christmas Eve. It’s an atmospheric, otherworldly set, and a quietly confident step forward for one of London’s most curious players.
‘Hypnos’ Tracklisting:
- Floating World
- Kingdom
- The Moon
- My Friend Kushi
- Stargazer
- Silent Forest
- Ukiyo
- Hypnos