Omagh musician to release ‘haunting’ instrumental album

Otherworldly soundscapes to capture the imagination and stir the soul is what one can expect when ‘McKowski’ unveils his beautiful brand new album next month.

‘McKowski’ is the alter ego of Mark McCausland of Omagh, one half of the critically-acclaimed Irish duo, The Lost Brothers, and author of the ever-popular weekly UH, column, ‘Notes from the Boneyard’.

Perhaps, fittingly, the purely-instrumental album, is also titled ‘Notes from the Boneyard’, and each track draws the listener deeper-and-deeper into a semi-fictional world in which McKowski dwells.

Set to be unveiled on September 22, the Omagh artist’s first solo work to-date features a unique blend of guitars, strings, analog synth sounds and electronic toys, resulting in a haunting and evocative journey across its transient 35 minutes.

Recorded mostly by himself in his home studio, the album is also gifted with the talents of some old friends, with guest musicianship from the likes of Steve Wickham (viola), Howe Gelb (guitar), Laura McFadden (cello), Dave Murphy (pedal steel), with the London-based Irish band, St Francis Hotel, also adding further elements of atmosphere and production.

With one foot rooted in a dark woodland, and the other foot stepping into unknown territory, the end result is a must-listen for fans of soundtracks, the surreal, or simply those searching for the
unexpected.

Like the wooden beauty of Angelo Badalementi’s ‘Straight Story’ mixed with the dark synth undertones, such as Carpenter-esque Moog, it’s the ideal companion for those pensive days and long nocturnal hours.

Explaining his vision for the new album, McKowski said, “For me, the best stuff comes from that dance between good and evil, light and dark: It’s a balancing act.

“This album started as a small candle burning; the only bit of light in a vast dark cave.

“I needed to balance out the dark with some light.

“The spark of music was the seed, and this record is the first branch of the tree that grew from the fire.

“In the process, I accidentally soundtracked my surroundings in real-time, and ended up with this creation.

“I’m not sure exactly how I would describe it, but if the past couple of years was a movie, this would be the soundtrack.’’

l To order the album on vinyl, cassette or digital, please visit the McKowski Bandcamp page. You will not be disappointed.