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Porcupine Tree man Richard Barbieri to launch Planets + Persona

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By ( Prog ) published

Japan and Porcupine Tree keyboardist Richard Barbieri will release his 3rd solo album Planets + Persona in March – watch teaser video

Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri

Richard Barbieri has announced that he’ll release his third solo album early next year.

Titled Planets + Persona, it’ll launch on March 3 via Kscope.

Known for his work with Japan and Porcupine Tree, Barbieri’s follow-up to 2008’s Stranger Inside is said to be “his most sonically expansive work to date.”

A statement on the album continues: “Vintage analogue synthesisers combine with acoustic performances and jazz elements.

“Twisted voices are always present, though not in a language we can recognise. Barbieri skilfully utilises the talents of a pan-European core of musicians to produce an album that marries synthesised sounds with organic instrumentation to conjure up vivid, colourful and allusive soundscapes.

“It’s a skilful commingling of texture and tone, mood and musicality.”

To mark the announcement, Barbieri has also issued a teaser video for the record, featuring snippets of all seven tracks. Listen to them below.

Pre-orders for Planets + Persona are now open, with the CD featuring a 16-page booklet with studio shots and photographic scenes taken in Iceland. The 2LP version presented in double gatefold sleeve and pressed on heavyweight 180g vinyl.

The Planets + Persona cover

The Planets + Persona cover

Richard Barbieri Planets + Persona tracklist

  1. Solar Sea
  2. New Found Land
  3. Night Of The Hunter
  4. Interstellar Medium
  5. Unholy
  6. Shafts Of Light
  7. Solar Storm

Steven Wilson and Richard Barbieri on the magic of Porcupine Tree

Scott Munro
Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more for Louder. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, The Tragically Hip, Marillion and Rush.