Grado – Hymns

Grado is a recording project by Michael Bloss, who lives in East Anglia. His new LP, released May 2nd, features ten songs that can be imperfectly described as a rough kind of indie-folk, taking cues from acts like Field Music, Jens Lekman, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams and Neil Finn. Melody and harmony are constantly in the foreground, supported by literate and ambiguous lyrics.

The culmination of more than a decade writing songs and experimenting with recording, debut album ‘Grado‘ is influenced by a sense of disorientation in Michael’s life over the last six years. During this time he left his job in London and embarked on several years living in various European cities where he composed and honed these ten songs, before recently returning to the UK.

The album reflects this rootlessness, covering themes of arrivals and departures, displacement and uncertainty, best exemplified by songs “Silvester” and “Home”.

‘Grado’ refers to two different towns with the same name in Italy and Spain that were important during those continental years. The artist name represents one of these towns, the eponymously titled album the other.

The album was written, recorded, performed and produced by Michael himself, mixed by Iain Lowery, and mastered by Eric James at Philosophers Barn Mastering, Norfolk.

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