Stu Orchard

All roads, they say, lead to Rome but Stuart Orchard took the autobahn and ended up in Berlin for a year. Armed with just guitar, laptop and a couple of song sketches, he emerged with a new album. The total immersion in German culture, and possibly beer, is evident in its crisp, vibrant feel. The first single Eye of the World is one such song sketch that benefited from the technical wizardry of producer Mark Reeder - sometimes known as the godfather of gothic rock and electronic music. The pounding rhythm and wailing vocals give the song a worldly flavour - a kind of modern, tribal quality. A true mix of east meets west in a concrete Berlin basement; a clash of cultures merge into a surprisingly classic yet fresh flavour that doesn’t follow any clear trend; not exactly pop, just class, setting its own standard.