Album Review: Latitude

Guy Hobson is a Christchurch-based composer and performer who specialises in instrumental music for film and was featured most notably on one by Force Five Films about the unveiling of Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic Spaceship Two SS2. He is a classically trained pianist who describes his music as Ambient, hypnotic and alt/modern classical, bringing in influences from classical, jazz, blues, and funk. This album was inspired by the stunning New Zealand landscapes, and he was joined by Stephen McDaid who provides lead guitar, while everything else is provided by Guy. 

The resulting album is something which brings together many different styles, and it is no surprise that he works in film as in some ways this almost feels like a library album in that it is touching a great many musical bases. The piano is often, although not always, the underlying heart of the music and it is these numbers which feel most like Rick Wakeman, especially if it is one of the ones featuring some searing lead guitar such as Five to Four. However, there are others where the inspiration is much more obviously Vangelis and others Jean Michel Jarre. His musical form is often based in melodic classical which he then blends with synthesisers to create something which is often restful, yet with so many different styles on offer one is never quite sure where it is going to lead. One of the surprises is the repeated radio news of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake within Precision, something which certainly made me think of all those who died and suffered during that cataclysmic event. I wasn’t living in Canterbury at the time, although I did undertake one of the early red zone tours, but have been down here for 7 years now and spent some of that time working in the city, and to this day the scars and rebuilds are there for all to see. 

Overall, this varied album is a fascinating journey through different keyboard styles, and one which fans of this style of music will certainly get a great deal from.