Under the Mersey

An ambient first for me, ‘Under the Mersey’ draws inspiration from the then-outgoing Class 507 and 508 trains on the Merseyrail network, incorporating reverb-drenched train soundscapes, and the units distinctive sounds as percussive elements. The opening track, ‘Southport’, starts with the sound of a train departing, suggesting the start of a journey across the Merseyrail system, with gentle synth arms and pads fading in, which have been created from snippets of train recordings filtered and tuned into melodic sounds. ‘Ormskirk’ gives the album more energy with a simple beat, with the next track ‘Kirkby’ diving back into a more ambient, textural direction, with synths pitching up and down. ‘Liverpool Central’ is a melody-less, dark textural drone, reflecting the eerie, liminal-space nature of the corridors and tunnels of the central mention of the network. ‘Ellesemere Port’ incorporates techno elements with shifting arps and acid lines, whilst still keeping ambient, whilst ‘New Brighton’ provides a nostalgic, polyrhythmic synth arp. The journey ends with the sound of train departing, followed by the simple yet emotional ‘Hunt’s Cross’.

1. Southport

2. Ormskirk

3. Kirkby

4. Liverpool Central

5. Ellesmere Port

6. Chester

7. West Kirby

8. New Brighton

9. Hunt’s Cross