Dave Rowntree, well known as the drummer for the famed rock band Blur, has released a brand new single entitled “HK,” along with an official visualizer. The track comes off of Dave Rowntree’s upcoming debut album as a solo artist, Radio Songs, scheduled to release on January 20 next year via Cooking Vinyl.
The track’s sound and imagery are based on the city of Hong Kong, with the serene style of the track lending itself to the image of someone walking peacefully throughout the city. Soft pianos, unique drum patterns, strings and ambient synths are Rowntree’s weapon of choice in this beautiful composition, creating a track that moves from dark to inspiring, while remaining soothing and peaceful throughout. While vocals are absent from the track, occasional splices of talking and whispering from a Chinese radio station are placed sparsely throughout the four minute runtime.
Speaking on the creation and inspiration for the track, the musician has explained that “HK was written on tour with Blur in Hong Kong. I fell in love with the city before the plane had even landed – a new record for me. The track was inspired by Hong Kong’s beauty, claustrophobia, and sense of dark foreboding, set against the backdrop of a chaotic Chinese radio station.”
The visual for the track shows a panning view of a simple pencil drawing of the city of Hong Kong, gradually shifting from day to night. Watch the visualizer for “HK” via YouTube below.
“HK” is the second track that Dave Rowntree has released off of his upcoming debut project, following previous song and music video “Devil’s Island.” Fellow Blur member Damon Albarn has recently released a 4 disc deluxe edition of his solo album, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows.