Oliver adds twist to new album

Rmike.alexander@fairfaxmedia.co.nz would you come with me’. That’s a refined account of the process but the song wouldn’t exist without her.’’

Gray didn’t move to Mars (nor has Oliver) but her presence is evident throughout many of the songs on Floating In The Darkness.

‘‘It is a an album that deals with matters of the heart and relationships in general,’’ Oliver says. ‘‘We were together for quite a long time. We broke up towards the end of the process of the album so I suppose it is an interesting collection of songs that capture the extremes and dynamic nature of such a journey. The themes are definitely love and loss and longing.’’

There’s also a bit of an underlying cosmic theme in Let It Be This One, a collaboration with Wellington composer Rhian Sheehan who also features on another track Boy.

‘‘I never reveal who the one is,’’ Oliver says. ‘‘I subconsciously intentionally left it open. It’s about the joy of a moment – not a specific moment. That moment for me would be something different for other people. I hope that song will reach people and they will be able to relate to it in their own way.’’