☆☆☆☆
Image: Luke Eblen.
Australian music legend Daniel Johns has treated us with his long-awaited solo sophomore album, FutureNever. The album marks a new era for the musician, releasing the record through his own label via a new global deal with BMG.
Written and recorded over the past couple of years, the body of work offers an eclectic collection of songs, weaving together sonic threads of electro, rock and R&B, with theatrical operatic moments that together create a genre-defying exploration. Orchestral compositions, riotous guitar work and pumping production all simmer beneath Johns' inimitable vocals, as he navigates his past to reach his future.
Tracks like FreakNever and Those Thieving Birds (Part 3) make nods to the musicians Silverchair days, whilst Emergency Calls Only sees the musician team up with Silverchair collaborator Van Dyke Parks. Beginning as a delicate guitar ballad, the track unfurls into an orchestral masterpiece and captures the albums more experimental side. His spatial and atmospheric collaboration with Peking Duk, Cocaine Killer, Where Do We Go? and Stand 'Em Up with What so not provide a trio of back-to-back stand out moments on the record, with the musician also enlisting Moxie Raia, purplegirl and This Week in the Universe across the album.
Having rose to acclaim as the front man of internationally acclaimed rock band Silverchair, where he scored five #1 on the ARIA Albums, Johns was the first songwriter in history to win the prestigious APRA ‘Songwriter of the Year’ award on three separate occasions. The GRAMMY Award winner made his solo debut in 2015 with his acclaimed album, Talk, which debuted at #2 on the ARIA Australian Albums chart.
4/5 Stars.
FutureNever is out now!