Post Description

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer Robert Reed, announces the release of a unique new album, Sanctuary on Tigermoth Records. Sanctuary is produced, mixed and engineered by Robert Reed, who is joined by legendary Tubular Bells producers Tom Newman (as co-producer) and Simon Heyworth, who mastered the album. 

Robert Reed was inspired to become a musician and composer at the age of seven after discovering Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. So inspired was he by the album, that he learned to play not just one, but all the instruments featured on the album. Sanctuary is the fruition of a decision that Robert made in January 2013 to utilise his abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and create an album in the style of Tubular Bells; he recalls: "The next four weeks were a blur as the music just came out. It turned out to be the most enjoyable album I've made. I wanted to play all the instruments, and for all of them to be real; no synthesised or sampled instruments, just the real thing.
Everything is played by hand by myself, except for guest vocalists, Synergy Vocals." 

Reed was conscious that he was treading a fine line in preventing Sanctuary becoming a pastiche of Tubular Bells. He continues: "I worked hard to make the melodies stand on their own. I wanted to capture the emotion that Mike Oldfield managed to communicate through his playing.
I wanted to use voices, but not have lyrics; just vowels combined with nonsensical words.

Reed secured the collaboration of Tubular Bells producers Tom Newman and Simon Heyworth after seeking their seal of approval. Reed comments: "Simon told me when he heard it, he closed his eyes and was back in the Manor Studios in 1973 and commented on how well it was executed.  
I contacted Tom to ask if he could offer any advice on the mix or production, and when we finally spoke, he was really complimentary and offered to get involved in the production and mixing; he also had loads of ideas about structure and arrangements. He has been invaluable with his insight and was always there when I was struggling to finish the album. All the timing errors and tuning errors are left in. it was real".