robert sotelo: cusp

Robert Sotelo is the nom de plume of Andrew Doig, a 36-year-old serial musician originally from Peterborough. Andrew's middle name is Robert, whilst Sotelo is his mother's maiden name. Using this alter ego he's been able to write and record the twelve songs that make up his debut solo record Cusp. Sotelo plays every instrument on the album and recorded and edited it with long-term friend John Hannon throughout 2016 at No Studios in Rayleigh, Essex. Sotelo's verdant world of sound is at once intimate, choosing to build songs up from ambitious layers of instrumentation into miniature psych pop overtures of genuine sincerity of feeling. Very much grounded in that particular forward-facing strain of mid-60s rock that edged towards Sgt. Pepper, Sotelo's music owes as much to Davies and McCartney's unashamed belief in melody as it does to the uncertainty and confusion that comes with mid-thirties existentialism. With Cusp, Sotelo has created a vast tapestry of songs that stand up and sound afresh. "Bring Back The Love" is a dream-swept ballad of expansive vocal refrains and pools of spidery guitar contemplation. "Marinade" is a song about having no money wrapped up in a hypnotic cycle of chiming bittersweet guitars and gentle keyboard blushes. "Bronte Paths" is another homespun wonder-pop moment, sounding more like a rediscovered gem than a contemporary song. Many of the tracks on Cusp deal with matters of imbalance in Sotelo's life like when his North London flat fell into disrepair before being swallowed up by property developers ("Tenancy Is Up"). In fact, "Alan Keay Is Fit For Work" is directly drawn from his experiences in support work of a man he represented amid the recent benefits debacle. "Version" is a sublimely panoramic number about spending too much time trying to write songs on your own and how it affects your relationships. "Dr Parsley" is a complex song of hope rooted in an unsure present, its subtle use of percussion and sumptuous vocal helping to guide listeners. The album closes suitably with "Brother You're Complicated" a piano-driven high note from the record, lush with choirs of voices and brushed drum flourishes. Cusp is about loss, recovery and delight in starting anew, finding out the future isn't just a continuation. Cover art by Daniel Sean Kelly. Comes on 180 gram transparent vinyl; Housed in matte-finish sleeve; Edition of 500.