Life, it appears, isn’t as linear as we might think. Its taken me a while to notice that this pattern of coming full circle is actually a common occurrence and my suspicion is I’m not alone in experiencing it. It seems to involve a journey, an escape, an adventure away from the arc of the typical or preempted trajectory that eventually leads us back to the point of departure as someone changed, perhaps chastised, and positioned for something new. This circle, it transpires, is not a retreat or the hallmark of failure but rather a spiral upwards; a thermal rather than a helter-skelter, a portal rather than a roundabout. It seems to embrace the tension of transformation without transition, a movement forward whilst seemingly motionless. We regress to where we started in order to progress with what we’ve learned; a broken Penrose staircase that appears to trap us in its loop and yet somehow takes us higher.

And that is really what this new record is about. Musically it explores the concepts of returning to the familiar with new eyes for the future. It’s the sound of journey and reflection rooted in the atmosphere of my home and surroundings. It’s purely piano solo because that’s where I began; 6 years old and hammering away at Old McDonald. Musically I’ve been on countless adventures, genres, disciplines and discoveries. Returning to my piano to release something new is the most obvious full circle metaphor I could have hoped for.

And I hope this project is encouraging for anyone who feels trapped, anyone who feels caught in the merry go round; wandering in apparent circles and wondering why you keep coming back to the same point. The likelihood is you aren’t in a loop but in a spiral, ascending the hill on stairs of stone and building your lung capacity for higher, loftier climbs. The keys for the door are still yours but how you live on the other side of the lock has changed. Remember that God uses circles to birth new things. Keep marching on.