Following Hugo Race’s recent excursions into world electronica (Dirtmusic’s ‘Bu Bir Ruya’ and ‘Gemini 4’) meets 21st century blues (‘John Lee Hooker’s World Today’), the former Bad Seed is back with a new album of modern folk songs, ‘Taken By The Dream’, a cinematic tapestry of complex emotional states illuminated by mercurial moments of dazzling light and grace. Recorded in Sicily, Taken by The Dream will be released on Glitterhouse Records on April 26th, 2019. 

“Taken By The Dream is an album (as often happens with Race) with a dark, nocturnal mood, characterized by pieces where the melodies, always tinged with a certain melancholic fatalism, drown in textural and musical scores, crossing hypnotic rhythms with guitars of all kinds, sounds in reverse, organ, piano, keyboards and violins. It’s a fresh and fascinating sound, these ten long and enveloping songs, permeated by a hint of opiated psychedelia, certainly of blues inspiration, but also tempted by suggestions of folk as well as by the rhythmic beat of Saharan Africa. Rock ballads appear like Phenomenon, folk westerns such as the splendid This is Desire, duos in psyche sauce like Bow & Arrow, melodic acoustic songs such as Heaven & Hell, mediations between luminescence and darkness like Fools Gold, percussive afro-blues hypnosis like Gonna Get High, dark stylisations such as Symphony, mental hallucinations like Altered States, folk mutations like the beautiful Smoking Gun, great auteur songs like Taken by the Dream. This disc is a gem that deserves all your attention.” (Lino Brunetti, Buscadero, Italy 2019)

“(This is) a profound and intimate journey, accompanied by an experienced guide who investigates every dark corner of the human soul, an author who should not be missing in any respectable discography.” (Paolo Dordi, Rockerilla, Italy)

Recorded in collaboration with Diego Sapignoli and Francesco Giampaoli from one of Italy’s most popular and influential instrumental bands, Sacri Cuori, studio guests include Chris Brokaw (ex-Dirtmusic, Come, Codeine), Bryan Colechin (The True Spirit), violinist Vicki Brown (Calexico), New Zealand pop songstress Lisa Crawley, Giovanni Ferrario (Scisma, Micevice), and cameo appearances from Race’s long-time musical partner Michelangelo Russo.

 “Race puts into play his deep timbre, Sacri Cuori throw down their sure card of desert folk from another era and from the sowing of these arid lands are born ballads suspended in time.” (Luca Minutolo, Rumore, Italy)