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As a Grammy-nominated engineer of Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse Of Reason and The Division Bell, and David Gilmour’s go-to studio ears since, Andy Jackson knows what constitutes that languid, limpid sound.

Stately, sombre, stretching into mournfully expressive guitar solos, his latest album exudes it in waves. Which is appropriate, as it is themed around the sea, or rather what he describes as a “false sense of nostalgia” felt for the ocean.

The centrepiece of this grandiose voyage is the 17-minute Drownings, which drifts across time, funerals and warring lovers. Except for cameos by former Van Der Graaf Generator sax player David Jackson (no relation) and Panic Room singer Anne-Marie Helder, Andy Jackson tackles everything himself, and squeezes out the slow burn from this velvety cream soup.

Chris Roberts has written about music, films, and art for innumerable outlets. His new book The Velvet Underground is out April 4. He has also published books on Lou Reed, Elton John, the Gothic arts, Talk Talk, Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Abba, Tom Jones and others. Among his interviewees over the years have been David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bryan Ferry, Al Green, Tom Waits & Lou Reed. Born in North Wales, he lives in London.