Morgan x Barrie bridges the past and present in his deeply personal new single Germany — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Taken from his recently released album Lines, Germany reflects on the Second World War experiences of his grandfather — incorporating the soldier’s own reminiscences into its darkly powerful, emotionally stirring soundscape.
“The album started with the song Germany — a tribute to my connection with my grandfather and his experience storming Juno Beach on D-Day,” explains Barrie. “I wrote the song after returning from touring Germany, which gave me the opportunity to reflect on how different my experience was in Europe than his would have been.
“Luckily, I was able to find original audio clips that capture him sharing some of his experience at Juno Beach. When I hear his voice on the song, all the memories come rushing back. I was fortunate enough that he was able to share some of his darker, more intimate experiences of the war. Through the tears and the pain, it solidified a bond between us that is unique and part of what makes me who I am today.”
Indeed, Barrie’s third album Lines isn’t a lament over our recent past. It’s a raw and honest look at the challenges all generations collectively face in the 21st century; a deeply thoughtful exploration of human hot topics like love, waste, and loss approached in equally passionate terms. “I wanted to write an album I would want to listen to,” he says.
He didn’t stop there. Barrie penned, produced and engineered the disc, seeing the project through from his imagination to your ears. He writes, records, and mixes all the music in his living room in Owen Sound, immersing himself in pursuit of the right sound. The result is sonically rich, personal yet relatable, and wholly hard to believe it originated from the artist’s living room and not multiple recording studios.
An ambitious concept album that whisks you on an epic, heartfelt journey through the human struggle to make sense of our place in the world around us, Lines features nine tracks tied together by transitional audio passages of streetscapes, natural environments, crowded rooms, snippets of conversation, and instrumental flourishes — from subdued to bombastic — that create a seamless experience. In a superficial world, Lines is meant to be an immersive experience.
Listen to Germany above, sample Lines below, and connect with Morgan x Barrie at his website, Facebook and Instagram.
