Five years after the release of his solo debut, Innerland, Engineers leader Mark Peters returns with Red Sunset Dreams. His second long-player combines his passion for Americana with an unexpected discovery about his home town in north-west England. Prog caught up with the musician to find out more.

Words: Emma Johnston

Portrait: Robin Clewley

The Wigan Little Theatre isn’t the most obvious starting point for an album that combines intricate post-rock atmospherics with the melancholy soul and beauty of pedal steeldrenched Americana. Sitting opposite the bus station, the building plays host to an amateur dramatics company, which, when Prog joins Mark Peters via Zoom from his home in the town, is gearing up for a panto run of Humpty Dumpty. And yet this handsome, austere brick building was the initial inspiration for Red Sunset Dreams, the second solo record from the bassist and guitarist for British dreampop favourites Engineers.

During lockdown, the PRS Foundation approached him to work on a project called Wanderscapes, in which he and former Tangerine Dream musician Ulrich Schnauss mentored local musicians as they created musical pieces inspired by the buildings and landmarks of Wigan, including the theatre.