Cross & Quinn - Cold Sky Blue

2016 album by former King Crimson violinist and Mellotron player David Cross and Sean Quinn. Cold Sky Blue is a sonic melting pot taking in prog, ambient, synthpop and even a sprinkling of dubstep, which is simultaneously timeless and modern. David and Sean were introduced by a mutual friend and after a lengthy phone conversation, pitched a couple of ideas at each other which became Skyline Vertical and Cold Sky Blue. They then agreed to expand the collaborative nature of the record and Beth Hirsch was the next obvious choice as her contribution to Air's classic album Moon Safari was pivotal to that album's mood. The whole thing mushroomed from there with other vocalists being added so the tunes are now more akin to Radiohead, Talk Talk, Sigur Rós and Pink Floyd rather than traditional electronic ambient. Their non-existent brief was to create an old-school album for the 21st century where the album is a whole work that takes the listener on a something trip, rather than a collection of tunes. The album has an overall tone and apart from the obvious traces of David's previous work, really sounds like no one else. Cold Sky Blue is a sumptuous listening experience.