These days David Holmes is better-known for soundtracks to Hollywood blockbusters like the Oceans series but he has always remained faithful to his roots in Belfast where he ran insane club nights like Shine before becoming a fireball DJ-producer riding with techno’s best. Along with his extensive knowledge of anything from mod to psych, Holmes’ previous three solo albums displayed the soon-to-be-realised cinematic yearn, but this album started gestating after the death of his beloved mother Sarah in 1996, catalysing his ambition to make an album about his life. Now it’s reached fruition as both deeply-spiritual reflection plus joyous celebration of influences, including Jesus And Mary Chain, the Beach Boys, Suicide, krautrock, Eno, Primal Scream and west coast psychedelia. The album starts with the incandescent psych-pop of single ‘I Heard Wonders’, which sees Holmes collaborating with Suicide’s Martin Rev and revealing that he can sing too. [While we’re here check that out the sublime motorik remix from old mucker Weatherall on the single]. The wild diversity of styles rages through outings like the sensual cosmic post-punk soundscapes of ‘Love Reign Over Me’ and ‘Melanie’ while ‘Story Of The Ink’ and ‘Theme/I.M.C.’ combine heavenly melodic interplay and hallucinogenic swirls wafting into symphonic Brian Wilson stratospheres on ‘Hey Maggy’. After the self-explanatory electronic flourish of ‘Birth’ the album closes with the genuinely touching Ballad Of Sarah And Jack. David’s mother couldn’t have wished for a better tribute: her boy sure done her proud.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs