Barn storming: Albarn performs live from his Devon studio, along to rehearsal tapes of his largely Icelandic ensemble
Iceland-inspired orchestral piece becomes more personal
ON Albarn to new May be opus, performing 17, was Damon backed meant his by an ensemble of 14 largely Icelandic musicians conducted by André de Ridder, at the Brussels Centre For Fine Arts. Instead he is sitting alone at the piano in his home studio, a converted barn in Devon, ruefully stroking his lockdown beard. Things have not turned out as he - or indeed anybody - had hoped. On the other hand, Albarn reckons there might be something in this music that could be useful for us at this time, even in its not-quite-fnished form.