A Gorgeous Gem Of An Album

'I Dreamt I Was An Astronaut' is a gorgeous gem of an album that interlaces romantic and occasionally ironic love songs with Tuplin’s more cosmic musings born of dreams. The three opening tracks, ‘Albert Einstein Song’, ‘Where The Light Ends’ and ‘O Youth’ all take us on voyages into a cosmos of both the inner and extraterrestrial kind: ‘Where The Light Ends’ weaves an intriguing relationship between the extremities of the universe and a dying love affair.

Tuplin’s sense of humour takes over with the razor sharp ‘Did We Lose The Fight’ and progresses to a song first heard on his 'Open Letters' EP; here ‘Kathleen’ is revisited with a mature but plaintive vocal and a wraithlike arrangement that evoke the mists rolling in on the Atlantic coast of Galway. ‘Robot Love’ ostensibly begins as a sweet love song and but eventually evolves into a far darker place.

I was torn between ‘Where The Light Ends’ and ‘In Front Of Me All This Time’ as my stand-out tracks; but then the anthemic quality of ‘Astronaut’ completely blew me away.

Tuplin’s passion as a lyricist and composer shines through every track augmented by dazzling arrangements brewed up with his long-time production collaborator Mark Estall: they defy classification. But if there was ever an English evocation of the French style of chanson it is right here in these tracks. Tuplin masters an intimate conversational style that delivers songs that are rich in both imagery and emotion.

It sounds effortless but in reality this album contains twelve tightly crafted tracks generating inspiring music that will stand the test of time.

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