Downes Braide Association, the partnership between yes keyboard player Geoff Downes and singer and producer Chris Braide, have released a video for new song Love Among The Ruins. It's the first new music from the band's upcoming Halcyon Hymns, album which will be released through Cherry Red on February 5.
Following two successful live shows at Trading Boundaries in February of 2020, 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,"” says 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 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.”"
"It was so great to witness Chris' creativity making my fundamental ideas come alive," adds Downes. "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."
Halcyon Hymns features brand new artwork from Roger Dean, which you can view below, along with the album tracklisting, as well as contributions from Big Big Train singer David Longdon and Marc Almond.
Halcyon Hymns will be released as a CD/DVD package on February 5 and as a white vinyl double album on March 5.
Pre-order Halcyon Hymns vinyl.
Downes Braide Association: Halcyon Hymns
Disc 1
1. Love Among The Ruins
2. King Of the Sunset
3. Your Heart Will Find The Way
4. Holding The Heavens
5. Beachcombers
6. Warm Summer Sun
7. Today
8. Hymn To Darkness
9. She’ll Be Riding Horses
10. Late Summer
11. Remembrance
12. Epilogue
Disc 2: DVD
1. Roger dean Painting Sessions
2. Love Among The Ruins
3. Your Heart Will Find A Way
4. Today
