Over a decade ago, Tim Smith left his position as the frontman of Midlake to pursue music on his own. His old band have put out two albums without him, one very soon after his departure (2013’s Antiphon) and one much later (last year’s For The Sake Of Bethel Woods) and Smith has not put out much of anything. That’ll change later this year with Albion, Smith’s first album as Harp, a project that includes him and his wife Kathi Zung.

The debut Harp album came about after Smith put aside the songs he had been working on in the immediate years following his departure from Midlake, and started getting inspired by a different strain of music: the ’80s.

“I knew of bands and I had heard the odd song, but I had never dug deep into Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, Tears For Fears before,” Smith explained. “The major album for me though was The Cure’s Faith, which I listened to non-stop for three years. That music really resonated with me, so I was led in a different direction, which took a long time to figure out, because I was on my own, learning how to record better, mix better, write better.”

Listen to Harp’s lead Albion single “I Am The Seed” below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “The Pleasant Grey”
02 “I Am The Seed”
03 “A Fountain”
04 “Daughters Of Albion”
05 “Chrystals”
06 “Country Cathedral Drive”
07 “Shining Spires”
08 “Silver Wings”
09 “Seven Long Suns”
10 “Moon”
11 “Throne Of Amber”
12 “Herstmonceux”

Albion is out 12/1 via Bella Union.