Derek has musical sensitivity in spades, as instrumentalist, vocalist and composer, amply evidenced in
Nevertheless, an instrumental album composed and recorded during lockdown. On the sleeve notes he
quotes a most appropriate observation by Neil Peart, late drummer with rock band, Rush: “If a piece of
work was an honest expression of its maker, it was also a milestone of his progress and a benchmark to
build upon in the future.”
This new project is all these things. With a debut album and several EPs already, this is Derek’s first fully
instrumental work, truly a thing of beauty, reflecting and expressing his diverse musical influences and
experience.
From glorious rhythms and dancefloor hooks to gorgeous gentle melodies on acoustic guitar, from
harmonically rich pieces with more than a hint of classical flavour to atmospheric soundscapes
transporting you to undersea worlds or Italian movies.
Review By Liza Mulholland Inverness Courier 14/8/21
Photo Moa Holmgren