As the frontman of Scottish [post-]progressive rock band North Atlantic Oscillation, Sam Healy has spent the last decade or so becoming a household name to stylistic enthusiasts (especially those who adore Kscope, one of the genres major labels). Unsurprisingly, though, Healy also has an equally impressive solo project, Sand, whose eponymous debut released to critical acclaim in 2013. Now Healy has issued a proper follow-up, A Sleeper, Just Awake, and it’s another remarkable entry in his increasingly impressive catalog. Filled with entrancing textures, tranquil vocals, and avant-garde yet accessible structures, the sequence provides a wonderfully serene and surreal listening experience that’s perfect for daydreaming and contemplation.
Marketing-wise, Healy distances the record from the “frenetic psychedelia” of the last NAO effort, 2014’s The Third Day, by suggesting how “its organic production, introspective themes[,] and spacious arrangements” yield “intricate rhythms and unusual timings [that] are liberally sprinkled with pop hooks and memorable melodies.” Without a doubt, A Sleeper, Just Awake is an ambitious and atypical ride that maintains a singular identity while also evoking the colorful but melancholic shades of bands like The Flaming Lips and The Great Depression.
“Mayfly” kicks things off with faint chimes that soon give way to dreamy piano notes and warm percussion. Healy sounds equally peaceful as he sings his calming verses and more cautionary choruses, all of which contain fascinatingly abstract lyricism, such as: “A screaming came down the sky / To bury you / Numbers were scattered wide / By the blast / Ever the wounded fly / You withdraw / Blaming the clock for time / And crime for law.” Perhaps the most impressive aspect, however, is the way the arrangement continuously evolves to include more timbres (including horns and programmed beats); there’s even a hyperactive breakdown roughly halfway through, as well as an orchestral crescendo near the end. All in all, it’s a very dynamic and striving way to start.
Afterward, “L.T.G.B.” ingeniously mixes touches of big band density with the electronic momentum of Radiohead’s Kid A, while “Commitment to the Bit” peaks with luscious harmonies and hypnotic patterns. There’s also a consistently profound contrast between moments of light, ethereal sorrow and focused, almost celebratory majesty. Its perpetual mystery and variety keeps it intriguing. In contrast, “Seldom Used Furniture” is more conventional and straightforward, with a repeating piano progression and shuffling syncopation, yet it still manages to pile on vibrant layers as it goes (so it’s alluring nonetheless).
The centerpiece of the collection, “Berceuse,” is likely its most beautiful and symphonic selection, as its first half is essentially a sparse but moving soundscape that’d fit well over shots of Earth and space; halfway through, though, an explosion strings, horns, piano notes, drums, and harmonies elevate it into a robust, inspirational, and moving marvel. It then transitions back into its opening lull gracefully, making for an incredibly meditative composition not unlike the earliest Porcupine Tree voyages. Next, “Embers” oscillates between low-key laments to poppy slices of lively hypnosis akin to the Beatles (circa Magical Mystery Tour), Super Furry Animals, and Amplifier.
Fortunately, Healy concludes his sophomore outing with a trio of awe-inspiring compositions. First, “Initial” is a brief track that builds from a slow ode to an uplifting mesh of overlapping horns and feisty percussion; “Coward” then lets its pastoral/industrial scarcity speaks emotional volumes; and “Earth Mound Square” finishes things off as the lengthiest entry, moving from a blend of of strings, falsetto croons, and thumping beats, to an otherworldly collage before dissolving into subtle but impactful and comforting tones during its final moments.
A Sleeper, Just Awake is impossible to describe accurately; rather, one must experience it him or herself to grasp it fully. Once you do, though, you’ll realize just how unique, diverse, and determined Healy is. He’s an artist in the truest sense of the word, focusing his many talents to bring his clear, insular vision to life, and while the record certainly casts shades of other artists, its majorly one-of-a-kind nature is as remarkable as it is rare. A Sleeper, Just Awake certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but those who fit into its audience will surely find it breathtaking and bold.