‘The record is an exploration of requited and unrequited love, from the perspective of a couple who meet, fall into what may confusedly be called love and then part.’
The record was produced, mixed, mastered and recorded in the south of England, in Brighton and London. It features a more developed sound from the production of his earlier albums, a sound which Bishop began experimenting with on his last album. The single, Nicotine, comes at a point when Bishop had been looking for a sound more distinctive, and its use of synthesisers and keyboards shows a more developed sound from the artist.
Born in London, Bishop performed orchestral works and other musical genres before learning to play the guitar and perform at smaller venues on the London circuit; he is currently performing on the festival circuit in Europe. In a breakaway from his stifling classical background, he went on to writing his own songs in a number of different genres.
The album features a myriad of musicians from pop, folk, rock, classical and blues backgrounds. The artwork for the album was inspired by a number of anime artists, as well as contemporary portrait artist Grace Lau, who has had her work displayed at the Tate Modern in recent years. The record in part explores ethnic diversity in Brooklyn and Manhattan. It builds on the momentum of Bishop’s 2023 release I Hope That You Are Keeping Some Kind of A Record.
From London, he moved to Brighton, learning piano from Robin Coward, pianist for Passanger, and Camille Phillips, drummer with the Subways. He then recorded three full-length studio albums and amassed a following of over 1.5 million on social media and his last album gained 4 million Spotify streams in its first week. Bishop was awarded a Masters Degree in English Literature and studied for a PHD under Brian Cummings, fellow of the Royal Academy. His music is used on degree courses at The Universities of York and Sussex.
The albums’ lyrics closely follow the exploration of love in its various forms. On I don’t Remember You At All Bishop forlornly laments the fleeting nature of memory, while on Nicotine he describes a lover whose ‘eyes were the stars, just a little more gently’. Only on Lady of Our Sorrows does Bishop touch on the darker, more hopeless aspect of love.
Nicotine Lyrics: Her eyes were the stars just a little more gently Its quiet in here she said its almost empty And as she sat rolled all her cigarettes too thin He asked her gently if you want to join in
She wore her scars like a religion They were the honour of her skin Which when you live on powder Must make up for something He felt her fingers going up his sleeve Fumbled on his breath She smiled when they leave
He closed his eyes they didn't bother to kiss His fingers tight tiny little fists He bought down a mirror something to fix himself Caught his reflection recognised someone else
She was too quick with her cloths and counted the seconds in between And watched her smoke, wanted to be nicotine She came down to say it was raining it’s never raining very much Isn't all of this just like falling in love