Farewell to Midnight - 7" (Green) Vinyl

PRE-ORDER FAREWELL TO MIDNIGHT

/// VINYL SHIPS THE FIRST WEEK OF JULY ///

From Eric Hilton, Godfather of downtempo electronics comes two new tracks of dub soul goodness, “Farewell to Midnight” b/w “Front Line”.

Eric Hilton’s work as a solo artist is primarily instrumental; for this release longtime collaborator Puma Ptah provided vocals and the lyrics on both tracks. Hilton and Ptah’s musical relationship goes back to the 2012 debut album by The Archives, a roots reggae project which Hilton produced, and Puma performs with. Ptah has also been a frequent guest on recordings and is a key member in Thievery Corporation’s live show.

Musically speaking, the a-side “Farewell to Midnight” delivers the laid-back groove and sparkling atmospherics that Hilton has perfected in his solo work, while Ptah’s soft and soaring voice seems to answer the question “what if Marvin Gaye made a reggae record?” It was a vocal performance that Ptah initially found challenging. “Farewell” is in a higher key than my usual range and initially I wasn’t comfortable singing like this,” said Ptah. “But Eric pushed me. I couldn’t project my voice as easily in that key, so I sang softer, it took a couple of takes and then it was comfortable.” Hilton expanded, “I love working with Puma, he has an incredible voice, he writes beautiful lyrics and brings such a good vibe to every performance. His background is in roots reggae but he’s a real soul singer. “Farewell To Midnight” is my favorite vocal performance by him, and I think we made a really great sounding record,” says Hilton.

Ptah’s questioning lyrics for “Farewell to Midnight” brilliantly contrast the musical sweetness of the record. “Life seems significantly more stressful post pandemic, everyone’s mind seems to be full of anxiety,” says Ptah. “Suffering is symbolized by midnight - midnight is gonna come no matter what, you just have to be ready for it. Things can fall apart or get dark, but good outcomes can come from that.” Ultimately, “Farewell to Midnight” acknowledges the inevitable darkness we all must contend with, but with eyes looking hopefully towards the impending dawn.

The b-side “Front Line” is Afrobeat in flavor, tough and more uptempo. Horn flourishes and a simply burning flute solo funk things up. Once again, Ptah’s draws his lyrical inspiration from the tribulations of modern life, and the will to never stop fighting. “My strength comes from community and family,” say Ptah. I may not be able to change the world, but I can try to influence and be influenced by my community. If I can be of assistance to them, that’s a realistic hope for me. Start your fight against injustices from within your community.” 

The retro cover art features of juxtaposition of photographs the artists took of each other on separate occasions; the graphic design a beautiful compliment to the limited-edition green vinyl 7” that will be available for pre-order. Both artists are looking forward to fans hearing this latest chapter in their long musical working relationship. "Eric’s solo music is a breath of fresh air,’ Ptah effuses. “It’s hard, especially as an artist to be hopeful in these times - but I'm becoming hopeful again."