Born in Belfast, brought up in the north of England and now a Berlin resident for more than a decade, it’s no wonder that singer/composer Aidan Bartley feels that he’s “half at home everywhere, but not really at home anywhere.”
Having graduated with a Philosophy/ Theology degree in 1998, Aidan soon shunned the cloister and embarked on his nomadic musical adventure busking his way around the calles, stradas, strasses and underground rail systems of Europe, pioneering the art of the guerrilla gig long before its’ commercial potential was tapped by The Libertines.
Since the arrival of debut album ‘Between the Gutter and the Stars’, he has spent the past twelve years easing a series of understated masterpieces into the marketplace. His superb, cinematically-inclined solo work has attracted comparisons to the likes of Nick Cave, Peter Hammill and Michael Nyman and it displays an intelligence and sophistication that’s becoming increasingly rare in the ultra-disposable 21st Century. Aidan’s touring schedule has taken him to Australia and the United States as well as regular outings around Europe where he has shared stages with celebrated stars such as Billy Bragg, Tindersticks and the cult hero’s cult hero, Robyn Hitchcock. He has amassed an acre of positive press along the way, with respected Irish publication Hot Press being moved to describe him as “a masterly and wonderfully original story-teller and one of the country’s best-kept secrets.”
The atmospheric, filmic qualities inherent in Aidan’s music has brought him commissions for TV, theatre and celluloid and while there was no visual counterpart to his wholly instrumental album ‘Fragments of a Daydream’ (2008), the resulting LP sounded like the most accomplished soundtrack for an imaginary film since Barry Adamson’s landmark ‘Moss Side Story.’
Never one to rest on his laurels, the task of writing the songs for his new album ‘Silhouettes’ found Aidan spending a week alone in a cottage in Ibiza with merely an acoustic guitar and his restless soul for company. Although the songs were finished off in Berlin with long-term acolytes such as pianist Florian Grupp and drummer Snorre Schwarz, ‘Silhouettes’ is an album on first name terms with love, loss, lust and loneliness and is surely Aidan’s most compelling statement yet. Despite strong competition, it’s also surely his best so far.
In a world where economies can collapse as quickly as record companies, we need artists with the courage and skill to stick it out for the long haul more than ever. That Aidan Bartley has the style and substance to hang around has long been proved by his back catalogue, yet you suspect he’s still only scratching the surface. A rootless troubadour he may remain, but once his music has stolen into your head and heart, it will proceed to make itself at home for good.
Tim Peacock, editor: www.whisperinandhollerin.com