Mercury KX welcomes Australian pianist and composer Sophie Hutchings, who joins the label’s ever-growing roster of some of the world’s most exciting artists. Sophie’s new single ‘Two Flames’ is released today and is taken from her upcoming album ‘Scattered On The Wind’, out in April.
The stunning ‘Two Flames’ is an indelible first taste of the album’s ambition, scale, and prowess. A truly spellbinding affair, the track soars with an elegant and transcendent meditation on “surrendering to the unknown, trusting that things will align.” An original composition by Sophie, the track features long-time collaborators Peter Hollo on cello and Jay Kong on violin, while soprano singers Sandra Liu and Josephine Stark add subtle, choral-inspired vocal accents throughout.
Sophie Hutchings, speaking of the new music
Sophie spent a good deal of her childhood outdoors, by the ocean. “I find the water has an almost medicinal effect,” says Sophie, who still swims and surfs with enthusiastic regularity. “There’s a peace that comes over you when you’re in the ocean or gazing at its horizon.”
The elemental, almost otherworldly effect of that natural landscape on Sophie’s psyche has proved a formative and lasting influence on her style as a pianist and composer. Sophie’s music is ruminative and dreamy, rippling piano-based instrumentals described by The Guardian as exuding “an intimate, contemplative quality; sometimes melancholic, often with an exhilarating beauty.”
Having been named one of MOJO’s ‘Top 5 Independent Albums’ of the year with her debut album ‘Becalmed’ [2010], it was her solo piano album ‘White Light’ [2015], that marked her first buzz release, proving a hit on streaming platforms and earning her a wider, more global fan base.
A decade on from her debut, with a growing, global fan base and new continents beckoning, Sophie is a star in undeniable ascension, and she is ready to unleash her first Mercury KX record upon the world.