Despite having debuted as a recording artist in 1978 with JAPAN, Richard Barbieri’s ‘Hauntings’ is only his fifth long playing solo release in a long career that has also included THE DOLPHIN BROTHERS, RAIN TREE CROW, JBK and PORCUPINE TREE as well as other collaborations with Alice, Tim Bowness and Steve Hogarth.

Following up 2021’s ‘Under A Spell’, ‘Hauntings’ continues with the supernatural theme of its predecessor. Of this new diverse set of compositions, Richard Barbieri told ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “I’ve called them ‘Hauntings’ but they are feelings of nostalgia, things from the past and things that didn’t happen. When you have very vivid dreams, you have recurring dreams, you go to places you’ve never really been to in real life and there’s people you’ve never really met but they’re very real to you in that moment.”

Supported by a renowned international cast of musicians including Morgan Ågren (drums and percussion), Percy Jones (bass guitar) and Luca Calabrese (trumpet), that trio bring some jazzy inflections to the opener ‘Snakes & Ladders’ to reflect the dramatic rise and fall using the classic board game as a visual metaphor. Meanwhile, the lively ‘Anemoia’ plays with drum ‘n’ bass rhythms and sees Morgan Ågren frantically syncopating off the programmed patterns and Barbieri’s spooky sonics.

With even more sound design than on previous Richard Barbieri albums, ‘Victorian Wraith’ explores the ghosts of his life while ‘1890’ is conceived around foggy recurring dreams of Victorian-era London; the tonal elements of both recall the eerie intros of JAPAN tracks like ‘Burning Bridges’ and ‘The Tennant’.

Strident and ominous, ‘Artificial Obsession’ adopts perturbed voice samples and stringy simulations to fully embrace the ‘Hauntings’ theme, as does ‘Paris Sketch’ which captures feelings of intrigue and mystery with a combination of ivories and expansive soundscaping. However, ‘Perfect Toys’ is aurally soothing and unexpectedly exudes sexual tension. Although ‘Traveler’ grooves with its combination of live and looped patterns, ‘Reveille’ acts as a marvellous interlude into the final straight with something that is very ‘Another Green World’ and made using the Elta Solar 42f Drone Ambient Machine.

As the title suggests, ‘Last Post’ is an ambient piece centred around some solemn trumpet before the watery blips and ringing signals of ‘A New Simulation’ are supplemented by some gentle flauty moods and the spectre of PINK FLOYD to close.

With the otherworldly sound designs and cerebral electronics of Richard Barbieri contrasting with a range of complimentary live instrumentation, ‘Hauntings’ is an anxious but accessible instrumental double album that stands out as a hazy shade of contemplation. This is a wonderfully considered sonic tapestry for the mind.

‘Hauntings’ is released on 10th April 2026 in CD, CD + Bluray, red or black double vinyl and digital formats by Kscope, available from https://richardbarbieri.lnk.to/Hauntings

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
8th April 2026