David Gray has revealed details of his forthcoming 12th studio album.
It's called 'Skellig' as and you might expect from the title, it's got a distinctly Irish flavour running through it - at least in terms of its contributors.
An array of Irish artists play on the record, including David Kitt, who has played in Gray's band in recent years. Mossy Nolan of folk band The Silken Same also features, as well as Sligo singer Niamh Farrell, cellist Caroline Dale and Gray's long-term bassist Robbie Malone.
The follow-up to 2019's 'Gold in a Brass Age' was recorded before the pandemic at Edwyn Collins' studio in the Scottish highlands and will be released in February, according to David Kitt.
"Hello there, I'm getting into the Christmas spirit by providing a free link to a brand new song Skellig below," Gray said. "You can either stream or download the audio as you wish. Skellig is the title track from my forthcoming album. More detail on that to follow, as well as on the track itself and the gorgeous artwork that accompanies it. Time to travel out across the misty waters.....Hope you enjoy. - David."
In a video message, he added that the song was inspired by a friend who visited the Skellig Islands off the coast of Co. Kerry, where a monastery was founded around 600 AD. "The whole idea of getting that close to God in this extreme environment inspired all kinds of awed thoughts, and a song was born - not only that, but this drifting, dreamy song gave birth to other songs that gathered around it like some kind of nucleus, and soon an album was there."
Earlier this year, Gray was forced to postpone his White Ladder anniversary tour dates.
The track is available to stream or download for free at this link.
