Steve Hackett streams new single Mdina (The Walled City)’

Steve Hackett has streamed his new single Mdina (The Walled City). The track is taken from his upcoming solo acoustic album, Under A Mediterranean Sky, which is released through InsideOut Music on January 21. It's Hackett's first acoustic album since 2008's Tribute.

"At the centre of the Mediterranean, Malta has always been a crossroads, a battle ground and a cultural melting pot," explains Hackett. "Both it’s turmoil and its beauty are held within the ramparts of its walled city, Mdina, and celebrated in this track."

Under A Mediterranean Sky features Hackett playing nylon, steel string and twelve string guitars, charango and Iraqi oud, with keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements from Roger King. Also featured are John Hackett and Rob Townsend, flute (Casa del Fauno); Malik Mansurov, tar and Arsen Petrosyan, duduk & Rob Townsend, Sax (The Dervish And The Djin); Christine Townsend, violin (The Memory Of Myth and The Call Of The Sea). All tracks were produced by Steve Hackett and Roger King with all tracks recorded and mixed by Roger King at Siren.

“I had a great time doing this album, seeing it take shape, and I’m very pleased with the outcome. I’m very proud of it,” Hackett adds. “The nylon guitar has a very individual sound but, within the compass of what the nylon-strung guitar can do, there are a lot of different tones. You can do the full-on attack, the kind of salvo that you expect from the flamenco players but, at the same time, it can also be very gentle, gentle as a harp. It’s shades of black and white. It’s also exciting to play alongside instruments from around the world, as well as a wide range of orchestral sounds.”

Hackett has previously released a video for Andalusian Heart.

Under A Mediterranean Sky will be available as a Limited CD digipak, gatefold 2LP + CD and LP-booklet and digital album.

Pre-order Under A Mediterranean Sky.

Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.