IAMTHEMORNING’S SOLO SIDE-PROJECT
Gleb Kolyadin teams up with Hogarth, Rudess, Harrison, Beggs and more on debut.
Gleb Kolyadin is to release his self-titled solo album via Kscope on February 23. The Russian virtuoso, who’s one half of iamthemorning, originally intended it to be a simple piano album, but it’s taken on a life of its own.
“For me the album is a crossover in its truest form,” explains Kolyadin, who has also released solo recordings under the name of Poloniumcubes. “There are things reminiscent of 70s prog, as well as minimalistic music, all entwined with ethnic motifs. Bits of neoclassicism are recognisable, especially during the grand piano solos. Added into the mix are also electro, ambient, jazz, and even allusions to the cinematic universe of David Lynch.”
The 13-track was mixed and engineered by Vlad Avy, who also worked on iamthemorning’s award-winning Lighthouse, and it features a host of impressive names from the world of prog. Gavin Harrison and Nick Beggs make up the rhythm section, and there are guest appearances from Marillion’s Steve Hogarth, Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess, Theo Travis (Robert Fripp) and Mick Moss from Antimatter.
“I approached those musicians that I personally like, and, to my surprise, all of them agreed to participate,” says the pianist. “The [vocal-led] songs were unusual in a sense that I didn’t plan to have any at first. At some point I realised that the first and the last tracks are lacking vocals, but by that time the arrangements were ready and partially recorded. That meant that a specific voice type was required, so I asked Mick Moss. We met a few years ago while he was in St Petersburg, and his voice was ideal for Astral Architecture. Kscope suggested asking Steve Hogarth, since iamthemorning played at 2017’s Marillion Weekend in the Netherlands. Not only did Steve agree to record vocals for the final song [The Best Of Days], but he also wrote the intro words for the album’s central track [Confluence].”
As with iamthemorning’s material, Gleb Kolyadin has a strong psychological theme running throughout. Its twopart concept revolves around a man who dreams of visiting a mysterious house where his doppelgänger lives, and explores the process of self-perception, metamorphoses and self-acceptance.
Although iamthemorning vocalist Marjana Semkina isn’t part of this solo project, the pair have regrouped and are currently working on new material. “I am full to the brim with musical ideas,” Kolyadin says. NRS
“I am full to the
brim with musical ideas.”