Former Sound Of Contact frontman Simon Collins has signed a new solo deal with Frontiers Records and will release a new solo album, Becoming Human, this Autumn.
The new album features contributions from Collins' former Sound Of Contact guitarist Kelly Avril Nordstrum, bassist Gaz Williams (Karl Hyde, Charlotte Church) and guitarist Robin Boult (Fish, Howard Jones).
"I have spent a long time thinking about this theme. Even the production itself was a micro life cycle,” explains Collins of the new album. “There is a school of thought that believes humans become spiritual, but I think it's the other way around. To me, we are spiritual beings who are learning to become human. Are we a way for the universe to know itself, or is the universe a way for us to know ourselves?
"This body of work reflects a deep, wild existential journey and sonic evolution. The soundscape explores a progressive fusion of electronic and rock influences, a cross-pollination of genres melding space atmospheres and ambient moods with progressive pop songcraft, creating a futuristic progressive sounding album.”
Collins himself sings, plays keyboards and also drums.
"It's part of my musical DNA," he says, before continuing: “Robbie and I collaborated on many of the songs, while the album also features songs I initially brought to the mountain of material earmarked for the second Sound Of Contact album.”
Becoming Human will be Collins' fourth solo album following All Of Who You Are (2000), Time For Truth (2005) and U-Catastrophe (2008). Sound Of Contact released their sole album Dimensionaut in 2013.
